10 Wrestlers Struggling To Prove Their Worth To WWE

5. Tye Dillinger

AJ Styles Tye Dillinger
WWE.com

Tye Dillinger, to use a football analogy, is an open goal - especially in an age in which the sheer glut of episodic television almost necessitates, or renders unavoidable, dreaded '50/50' booking.

He is a career loser. He embarked on a tour of developmental both comprehensive and miserable prior to a late-career renaissance in NXT, in which his hard luck tale, evident talent and legitimate amiability won the hearts of the hardcores. His 'Perfect 10' gimmick received in the intended, affectionate spirit, Dillinger was both jobber to the stars and a star. In a triple dose of thickheadedness, he is now no longer even a jobber; Tye is an invisible man, shunted to the weird purgatory in which the Colons reside.

But what a jobber he could be; he's such a pure and talented babyface that fans throw their support behind him until the last. He is, truly, the perfect fall guy for the modern age: he meets the defined enhancement talent remit, but is also capable of prolonging that one-note sentiment over the course of a suspenseful 10 minute match, the likes of which are an unfortunate byproduct of the "super-served" content era. Why he was never used to prop up Dolph Ziggler's implausible gatekeeper role is beyond comprehension.

You don't have to push a character like Dillinger - and that is the point lost on Road Dogg et al.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!