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2022 was an eventful year for WWE. Over the last twelve months, we have witnessed many moments that were deemed unthinkable in 2021.
The Prodigal Son returned as Cody Rhodes and had a grand homecoming at WrestleMania 38: Night One after being six long years away from WWE. Stone Cold Steve Austin and Vince McMahon competed in wrestling matches at The Show of Shows. Speaking of The Boss, McMahon was possibly forced into early retirement amid ongoing misconduct allegations over the summer.
Given such a tumultuous year with so many curveballs, here are 5 key takeaways from 2022.
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#5 Seth Rollins is the true MVP of WWE
There is no doubt that Roman Reigns is WWE's "Number One" guy. But who comes in at Number Two? They are open to discussion, but few would disagree when Seth Rollins' name comes up. Over the last twelve months, The Visionary has established himself as the company's MVP.
In 2022, Rollins proved himself to be a credible in-ring performer - something fans have known for a long time - a master reinventor and a top-tier storyteller. Monday Night Rollins' win-loss record leaves much to be desired.
The Visionary couldn't pin Reigns to win the WWE Championship at Royal Rumble 2022. A month later, he lost in the Elimination Chamber match. He then lost three consecutive high-profile match-ups to the returning Cody Rhodes at three premium live events. Rollins regained momentum by winning the US Title in October but soon dropped it at Survivor Series: WarGames in a Triple Threat match.
Despite the lack of momentum, fans remained invested in The Visionary, singing along to his theme song. Rollins received some of the loudest crowd reactions, even as a heel.
Few can perform as consistently and proficiently as the former Architect of The Shield. The narrative he builds is riveting and nerve-racking, and then there are his cosplays.
Coming out in polka-dotted ring gear at HIAC to get inside Rhodes' head was a stroke of genius. Wearing an RVD singlet and mocking him in Philadelphia effectively built heat at Extreme Rules. The ferocious promo with Matt Riddle that quickly turned non-PG remains one of the year's must-see moments.
It doesn't matter where he ranks because Seth "Freakin" Rollins is a once-in-a-lifetime talent that adds so much to the roster.
#4 Dominik Mysterio is the most hated WWE Superstar today
It's okay for the WWE Universe to cheer and boo some superstars, but their approval and disdain are borderline palpable in certain instances. Roman Reigns once had nuclear heat, as did X-Pac a long time back, but none of these seemed as original and powerful as the disapproval Dominik Mysterio is getting at the moment.
At the beginning of the year, there was plenty of concern about the 25-year-old's in-ring work. Compared to Rey Mysterio, the former SmackDown Tag Team Champion was less smooth in the ring and often botched maneuvers. This could explain the formation of WWE's first father-son duo.
He had a slight but not negligible "go-away" heat, with many suggesting he should be sent back to the Performance Center. However, Dominik received nuclear heat once he betrayed his father at WWE Clash at the Castle and joined Judgment Day.
Under the command of Rhea Ripley, the young Mysterio became horrific and despicable, finding new ways of stooping low. He hit his father with the 619, forcing the masked luchador to consider retirement. At Thanksgiving, he invaded his family's home with Ripley and assaulted Rey Mysterio. He even tried something similar at Christmas but was thankfully arrested.
The WWE Universe often hijacked the Judgment Day member's promos and heavily booed him out of the arena when he won matches, including a career-defining victory over AJ Styles. Their disdain for the former SmackDown Tag Team Champion was apparent when the arena erupted when Edge low-blowed him at Extreme Rules.
The company may have saved and catapulted Dominik's career. As a heel, he is clicking and delivering at a different level. If a wrestling fan had to name their most hated wrestler, Judgment Day's youngest member would be at the top of their list.
#3 Ronda Rousey is an overrated WWE Superstar
When Ronda Rousey returned to win the 2022 Women's Royal Rumble, the WWE Universe was ecstatic and hopeful that she could replicate the same magic as she did in her initial run. However, Rousey's run has been somewhat lousy.
The fan opposition has grown to the point that #FireRondaRousey has trended on Twitter consistently in the past two months. The primary reason for that is her sloppy in-ring work and bland character. Although her heel turn added some energy to her lackluster character, The Baddest Woman on The Planet's wrestling ability is below par for a top Superstar.
Compared to Charlotte Flair and Becky Lynch, her arsenal is not nearly as diverse. When in need, Rousey keeps turning to the same submission moves, Ankle Lock and Armbar. We've rarely seen her go to the top rope. There often seems to be no structure to her matches. The worst, however, is how the SmackDown Women's Champion often botches and under-sells.
At Survivor Series: WarGames, she botched a top-rope apron DDT, a basic maneuver, from Shotzi. Top stars like Roman Reigns and Becky Lynch have done that pretty well. However, the former UFC star hasn't adapted her game at all.
Ronda Rousey isn't delivering in the ring, and the opposition to her push into the spotlight will only grow if she doesn't improve her game.
#2 Redemption is achievable in WWE
If there is one thing to take away from professional wrestling this year, redemption is possible and achievable, especially in WWE. Cody Rhodes, who left in 2016 with zero heat and momentum, returned at WrestleMania 38 as a massive superstar. His redemption story has been spectacular as he defeated Seth Rollins three times in back-to-back matches.
Austin Theory hit rock bottom following an unsuccessful Money in the Bank cash-in for the US title. It served as a wake-up call and catalyst. Theory has since become an uncaged and aggressive wild animal, showing zero remorse or mercy to his opponents. The newfound attitude helped him win the US Championship again.
Sami Zayn's career was going nowhere. He lost an embarrassing "Anything Goes Match" to Johnny Knoxville at WrestleMania 38. However, Zayn redeemed himself in the best way possible. Reinventing himself as "The Honorary Uce" of The Bloodline, the former IC Champion has become one of the most popular acts on SmackDown, becoming a staple on the upper card.
Neither of the aforementioned Superstars could have envisioned the success they achieved in WWE at the start of 2022. However, their journey over the last twelve months tells a different story of where they redeemed themselves.
#1 Roman Reigns is the greatest of all time
In 2022, Roman Reigns broke countless records. In January, The Tribal Chief ended Brock Lesnar's long-standing record of the longest Universal Title reign. At WrestleMania 38: Night Two, he defeated Lesnar in a "Winner Take All" to unify the World Championships in the show's first-ever Title Unification Match.
A few weeks ago, he reached three years without being pinned. His Universal Championship reign has lasted well over 800 days. The Head of The Table also led The Bloodline to a massive victory in the first-ever main roster Men's WarGames match at Survivor Series.
In his list of victories, Reigns defeated Goldberg, Lesnar (multiple times), Matt Riddle, Drew McIntyre, and Logan Paul this year. A very diverse but competent crop of superstars challenged The Undisputed WWE Universal Champion, but they all failed.
Roman Reigns is close to reaching a thousand days as the Universal Champion, and there is no stopping him. If he main evented Mania again, he'd have closed out The Show of Shows seven times, more than all-time greats like John Cena, The Rock, or Stone Cold Steve Austin.
Meet Randy Orton's lovely wife HERE
