#4 Bringing mainstream appeal to WWE
A long time ago, WWE was in the midst of what was known the Monday Night Wars with WCW, where the two companies were trading victories when it came to television ratings. What eventually helped turn the tide for WWE was an appearance by Mike Tyson. Tyson was the biggest star of the 90s, whose popularity transcended the sporting world because of his infamous incidents.
WWE hopes that they can do the same with Fury as well because while SmackDown isn't facing any direct competition per se, one can definitely argue that WWE is not as popular as it used to be once upon a time. To mark a brand new start for the brand, WWE needed all the eyeballs that it could garner during this particular season premiere. While it wasn't the best show I've watched, I daresay that it was a success overall.
Having Fury as part of your roster is a very big deal!