10 Ways WWE Could Rebuild SmackDown
8. Do SOMETHING With Tye Dillinger
WWE is allegedly reluctant to feature Tye Dillinger too heavily. They loathe the chants of "Ten!" that much, it would seem. If that reads too dumb and too toxic to be true, consider the pace at which Greg Hamilton races through his ring introductions, barely without pause. Fans are actively discouraged to chant "One fall!" in 2018. But any crowd reaction is good, apparently.
Dillinger is the one WWE star - almost the anti-Bayley - who becomes more sympathetic the more he loses. He is an enhancement talent - emphasis on that second word. Heels look great defeating him. He's not merely fantastic in his role; he positions himself as a performer with wits and skill. It translates not as a match won, but a scalp taken. Why he isn't used to pad out television - which by its relentless episodic nature demands filler - is a mystery. That, or an indictment of WWE's blackly hilarious stance on customer relations.
This point is not limited to Dillinger. SmackDown creative is incredibly myopic in its booking of what is a thin roster in the first instance. We were expected to care about Sin Cara when he feuded with Baron Corbin ahead of Survivor Series - but he's barely been sighted since.
A strong showing in a certain proposed monthly attraction may help...