WWE WrestleMania 33: Grading NXT Debuts from Raw and SmackDown Live
Tye Dillinger
The second post-WrestleMania 33 debut didn’t come until SmackDown, as Tye Dillinger answered Curt Hawkins’ open challenge. He was doused in the “10” chant treatment and squared off with the low-card Superstar.
This match wasn’t much of a contest, as Hawkins put over Dillinger within minutes with the Tye Breaker. He celebrated the victory, and his debut, and walked off.
A simple debut for the Perfect 10, to say the least. It wasn’t flashy or a great match — nor was it intended to be. However, his first showing didn’t need to be, as he looked dominant and gained credibility in the SmackDown midcard scene, somewhere that he should thrive in the months to come.
It’s more of a question if Dillinger can sustain this. His success in NXT was geared toward his gimmick, which is easy to follow along with. It’s an easy “10” chant and the Full Sail Favorite being full of himself, which the fans quickly went along with when he debuted this in NXT over one year ago. If the popularity is there, then it may outshine his decent microphone and in-ring work. We’ll see how far WWE lets him go with this.