Andrade 'Cien' Almas vs. Tye Dillinger: NXT TakeOver: The End Winner, Reaction

Andrade "Cien" Almas made his NXT debut in grand fashion Wednesday night at NXT TakeOver: The End, beating Tye Dillinger in his first official match for the brand.

The WWE Universe captured the finish:  

WrestlingInc.com and Bleacher Report's Chris "The Doctor" Mueller provided their takes on the match: 

WWE signed the 26-year-old Almas to a developmental deal late in 2015 after he enjoyed a great deal of success in Mexico as the masked wrestler La Sombra.

Almas ditched the mask upon arriving to NXT, but he brought his exciting, high-flying style along with him, and it was on full display during his clash with Dillinger.

Wednesday's contest came about when the Perfect 10 took to Twitter to petition NXT general manager William Regal for a match at NXT TakeOver: The End:

Dillinger got precisely what he asked for, as well as a shot at taking down the hottest new commodity NXT has to offer.

While Dillinger is a wily veteran with no shortage of self-confidence, Almas seemingly matched him in that regard ahead of the live special:

Dillinger has developed into a gatekeeper of sorts for NXT's new talent, who often face him early in their tenure with the company.

That was the case at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn when Apollo Crews took on Dillinger in his first NXT match. One of Shinsuke Nakamura's first NXT bouts was against Dillinger as well, so the veteran found himself in a familiar position at The End.

The Canada native is in the midst of his second WWE developmental stint, so he has essentially seen and done it all, which made him the perfect first opponent for Almas.

Dillinger is a strong in-ring performer capable of getting the most out of his opponents and accentuating their strengths. That was true for Almas, who gave the NXT Universe a taste of the exciting brand of action that he figures to bring for a long time to come.

It was expected that Almas would be victorious in his first NXT match, and he is now in line to become a top star in the near future.

He is scheduled to participate in the Cruiserweight Classic this summer, and as one of WWE's prized signees over the past year, he is a strong bet to win the tournament.

Although one performance doesn't make a career, it is clear after NXT TakeOver: The End that Almas is a big-time fan favorite. He has all the tools needed to be the face of NXT.

With some call-ups potentially happening soon due to WWE's brand split, Almas could be one of the main beneficiaries and one of NXT's go-to guys immediately.

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