Tye Dillinger vs. Eric Young
Tye Dillinger and Eric Young kicked off NXT in great fashion, with a brief background and both men really getting an opportunity to shine in San Antonio. I really enjoyed this match for a few reasons. Tye Dillinger is a very solid performer in the ring, with a basic but strong set of offensive moves. When Dillinger gets rolling offensively, he really knows how to hit every move with emphasis. Eric Young continued to attack Dillinger at all the right times, reversing moves and being able to utilize the rest of his group outside of the ring. The finish would come when Young hit his finisher, which was a modified neck breaker and picked up the victory.
Dillinger is main roster ready, a guy that can produce solid mid card matches and be a potential fit for an Intercontinental Championship run. His chant is taking over, similar to Daniel Bryan’s “yes” chant. WWE loves to market things like this, so I am sure they will find a way to put him in some sort of storyline on Smackdown. I would not mind a Dillinger vs. Ziggler feud, as both men carry themselves as excellence and only one of them actually a heel. Dolph could expose so much here and Dillinger would immediately be in a feud with a former world champion. As for Eric Young and Sanity, they have potential to be bigger and better than The Wyatt Family ever was in NXT.
Roderick Strong defeated Andrade Cien Almas
Hard hitting, fast and physical. This was the story of a really good match between Strong and Almas. Stiff kicks, clotheslines and suplexes in the corner really showcased the versatility from Roderick Strong. As we have seen in the past, ACA is a guy who really shines when he is viewed as an underdog, someone trying to show the world how good he really is. Almas continued his assault and heel tactics in the ring, with multiple shots that can be viewed as dirty. It would come down to a simple mistake and Strong finishing him off to pick up the victory.
11 minutes was plenty of time for Roderick and Andrade to work their match and the winner was the right choice. You have so many talented heels in NXT, but really only 1-2 faces that could be viewed as potential main eventers. Roderick Strong can be that guy, with time and the right seasoning on his sizzle. He is a veteran, but still very fresh to many fans watching him. That could actually be one of his biggest assets.
