WWE SmackDown Live: Where in the World is Tye Dillinger?

Tye Dillinger was one of the most over superstars in NXT when he joined the WWE main roster. So where has he been for the past several weeks?

In the aftermath of WrestleMania 33, Tye Dillinger officially made his debut on the WWE main roster. The Perfect Ten had finished up a terrific run in NXT, reinventing himself and getting himself over with the crowd. He was one of the most beloved superstars in NXT, and after a brief Royal Rumble appearance (entering at number 10, of course) he seemed ready to take SmackDown Live by storm.

Fast forward to today. If it seems like Dillinger has been missing from television for a while, you’re not crazy. But think back to the last time he made an appearance for Team Blue. Can you place it?

Well, based on this thread on Wreddit, Tye hasn’t wrestled on SmackDown since Hell in a Cell. On October 8. We’re talking over two months since Dillinger has been seen. He couldn’t get on the show that aired on October 10 – 10/10!

Let’s not forget that Dillinger’s last match was for the United States Championship. He took the pin in a triple threat match when Baron Corbin won the title, and incoming champion AJ Styles didn’t factor into the decision. So it’s not like Tye was floundering before he just disappeared from prominence.

Is he injured? Doubtful, based on non-televised results. According to CageMatch.net, Dillinger has competed regularly since Hell in a Cell, just in dark matches and on live events. If Tye was injured, wouldn’t he be absent from all matches, and not just TV? That would be my guess.

Perhaps he’s being repackaged? Again, doubtful. There’s been absolutely zero chatter about that happening. Plus, if Dillinger were being repackaged, someone would have mentioned something after one of the fifteen dark matches he’s competed in since Hell in a Cell. We’ll also ignore the fact that a total repackage of The Perfect Ten would be a terribly ill-advised decision.

So then where has he been? The likely answer is that Tye Dillinger is just a victim of a time crunch. As a member of the SmackDown roster, there’s only two hours every week on TV. With superstars like Kevin Owens, Sami Zayn, Shinsuke Nakamura, Bobby Roode, Randy Orton, The Usos, New Day, Charlotte, and so many others, there’s simply not enough time to fit everyone in.

More from Daily DDT

Should Dillinger be pushed out due to time? No, of course not. But think of Fandango and Tyler Breeze – Fashion Files is great, but I’d still like to see them wrestle on occasion. How about Harper and Rowan? They were off TV for months being repackaged into the Bludgeon Brothers. Was that fair to them? Not in the slightest. Sadly, it happens.

The real answer here is finding time for everyone on the roster, even if it’s sporadic sometimes. Think of a baseball team – one of the trickiest things a manager has to do is keep everyone ready by getting them game action. If Bryce Harper goes down with an injury, someone needs to step up and fill the void. If a fourth outfielder hasn’t played in two and a half months, he’s going to be incredibly rusty.

Pro wrestling is the same thing. Dillinger has been on the sidelines now (more or less) for almost two and a half months. How is he supposed to jump in if, god forbid, a guy like Randy Orton gets hurt? Working a TV match is not the same as working a house show – and the best way to be prepared is to actually get the work on TV.

Next: 25 Greatest Entrance Themes in WWE History

Maybe a trade to Raw would work better for Dillinger, though there’s plenty of superstars on that brand who are absent for stretches as well. It’s a WWE-wide problem – trying to fit everyone into a decent story to get television time. With any luck, we’ll see Dillinger back in action before too long.