We kick off 2022 with WWE Day 1, and as we like to do with all PPV, we get to check out the hits and misses!
As in, what was a hit, and what was a miss in the first major show of 2022 for WWE.
Because, let’s be realistic…it’s a WWE show, there will be hits and there will be misses.
I mean, they can’t all be hits, right? And surely, we won’t have to endure an entire evening of misses either…hopefully.
So, without no further delay, let’s dive into…
2022 WWE Day 1: Check Out The Hits And Misses!
As I prefer, let’s start with the bad…otherwise known as…
The Misses!
COVID-19.
I might as well get this one out of the way early.
Just before the WWE Day 1 Kickoff show got things started, social media broke a major story.
I yearn to perform tonight at #WWEDay1 to defend my Universal Championship. However, unfortunately, earlier today I tested positive for COVID-19. Due to the proper protocols I am unable to compete as originally scheduled. I look forward to returning to action as soon as possible.
— Roman Reigns (@WWERomanReigns) January 1, 2022
Specifically, Universal Champion Roman Reigns had tested positive for COVID-19.
That news meant that his title defense against Brock Lesnar was off.
So, it’s a new year and a new Day 1 show…and COVID is still wreaking havoc.
For Reigns, someone with prior major health issues, you hope this does not end up being anything significant.
The timing.
We lost one title match-Nakamura and Sami Zayn-before the evening started.
Another one was scratched just ahead of the opening bell, as Reigns and Lesnar had to change.
WWE had been doing a pretty good job of wrapping shows up earlier, and yet we didn’t start main event entrances until 10:30PM EST.
Imagine if there were those other two matches? What might have been changed up to fit them all in…
Women’s Championship Matches
Big fan of Liv Morgan’s, and Lynch too. I can surely be in the minority here, but this match felt like something was off.
Perhaps some of this was wanting to see a title change. Maybe it was as stupid as both Superstars wearing black.
From a mental perspective, I felt like both told a good story, showing their frustrations and all that…but it just felt not quite as good as what we got on RAW a few weeks back.
That said, I am actually not even that down on this one. Like, the move Liv did, the Sunset Power Bomb?
Was slick, for sure. My bigger gripe?
This was the ONLY women’s match on the show. No SmackDown title match, and I doubt they can even blame Toni Storm leaving for that miss.
Live Premium Events
I had to pick on this one. For as long as I’ve been a fan, these were PPVs.
Yes, the PPV model was imploded with the start of the WWE Network…but that happened a few years ago.
So, for whatever reason, on January 1, 2022…WWE now calls it’s PPVs…”live premium events”.
OK, enough about the misses…
It’s time for the hits!
So…what went right for 2022’s Day 1?
The tag title matches
OK, in fairness, I should say “the RAW and SmackDown Men’s Tag Team Championship matches”. We did not have a WWE Women’s Tag Title defense.
That said, the formal show got kicked off in a big way. The Usos and The New Day wrote another chapter in their long and epic rivalry.
This match may have been a curtain jerker, but it earned those “this is awesome” chants. Because it was that good.
And. perhaps a notch below, but no less satisfying, was the RAW title match between RK-Bro and The Street Profits.
Each match had a nice show of respect at the end, although for obvious reasons, Jimmy and Jey’s was far more subtle. And with the RAW match, I swear I was waiting for a Profits turn…but no.
Respect. #WWEDay1 @RandyOrton @SuperKingofBros @MontezFordWWE @AngeloDawkins @Migos pic.twitter.com/QZiox4ic2u
— WWE (@WWE) January 2, 2022
As an addendum, nice 3D (which we were told The Usos are calling 1D), and while it was not quite the same, the Riddle pop up to Orton for the RKO wasn’t that far off either.
Otherwise known as…nice love for the Dudleys, one of the best tag teams ever.
Edge and Beth Phoenix
Lately when I’ve watched Edge work in the ring, I can’t help but think he’s enjoying his latest run.
And, while we all saw it coming, finally adding Beth Phoenix to the program should make things even more fun.
Even if the ring entrance music guy botched things…and we saw Beth for a good bit before her music hit.
Brock Lesnar
Sunday morning, Lesnar woke up thinking about his Universal Championship match against Roman Reigns.
Early Sunday evening, the world found out that plans had changed.
As the show closed, Lesnar was your new WWE Champion.
Now, it will be very interesting to see or hear more about this move in the coming days.
We were expecting some major angle between Reigns and Lesnar, likely setting up a WrestleMania rematch.
Now, getting to a Lesnar-Reigns title match in Dallas isn’t impossible…but it just got a bit more complicated.
However, watching Lashley and Lesnar throughout the match might be foreshadowing.
Lashley talked about things pre-match. He started off the assault on Lesnar by spearing him through the barriers.
At the end, Lesnar held the title and the two Superstars couldn’t stop staring at each other.
Makes me wonder if WWE didn’t, in a blink, pivot to another major clash, Lashley and Lesnar. If so, who will be the next big foe for Reigns?
One guess would be Drew McIntyre, but we shall see.
