WWE Day 1 Flops and Hits: Brock Lesnar wins title, The Bloodline make up for Roman Reigns’ absence (1st January, 2022)

WWE kickstarted 2022 on a solid note with their first premium live event, Day 1. The match card had to undergo changes, but the promotion did well in making the most of the available resources.

There were barely any flaws in the overall show. Thus, we have no evident ‘flops’ listed in this review but a mention or two about things that could have been done differently.

Here, we look at some of the biggest hits from Day 1. So, without further ado, let’s begin.

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#5 Hit on WWE Day 1: Brock Lesnar wins big

The main event of Day 1 saw a last-minute change that probably altered several storylines for this year. Prior to the show, it was confirmed that Roman Reigns would not compete at the first premium live event of the year.

The Universal Champion announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19 and, as a result, was ruled out of in-ring action. His absence led to his challenger Brock Lesnar being added to another world title match.

The Beast Incarnate joined Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens, and Bobby Lashley to challenge Big E for the WWE Championship in a Fatal Five-Way match. The five superstars came together to compete in a star-studded main event that undoubtedly delivered beyond expectations.

Rollins and Owens worked together right off the bat and went straight after Lesnar. The latter eventually fought back and hit back with multiple suplexes to keep the heel duo down and out.

Big E used brutal offenses against his challenger that made him look extremely strong inside the squared circle. He looked just as intimidating as The All Mighty and Brock Lesnar, which speaks volumes in favor of the New Day member.

Another big highlight from the match was Lashley’s interactions with Lesnar. This has been one of the most-anticipated matches ever since Bobby Lashley arrived in the company.

Although the match was short, it was fast-paced and well-balanced between all five superstars involved in the title bout. There was not a single dull moment during the main event that eventually ended with Brock Lesnar pinning Big E to win the WWE Championship.

Lesnar has been incredible since his return at SummerSlam, and it will be entertaining to see him make regular appearances on RAW in his current carefree gimmick.

It is safe to say that Big E will continue to be a part of the WWE Championship picture. The stare-down between Lashley and Lesnar also confirmed that we would finally see the two superstars engage in an epic feud.

They both come from a similar background and can be one of the most believable battles we have seen in ages. Brock Lesnar’s title victory at the back of a dominant performance accounted for an entertaining watch, and it will be exciting to see what’s in store for the nine-time world champion.

Rollins and Owens worked perfectly in unison at Day 1. Their alliance gave us a glimpse of a promising run as a tag team made up of two incredible heels. Not to forget, KO, mocking Lesnar when the latter down had to be one of the best moments from the entire show.

Seth Rollins and Kevin Owens have proved that they can work together, and the best part is that they both are equally capable of betraying each other somewhere down the line. We hope to see all five superstars enjoy an excellent run this year following a splendid main event to end Day 1 on a good note.

#4 Hit on WWE Day 1: The Usos steal the show

The opening match of WWE Day 1 saw The Usos defend their SmackDown Tag Team Championships against The New Day. This was, without a doubt, the best match of the night.

Both teams engaged in an unforgettable encounter to kickstart the new year and set excellent standards for the tag team division in the process. King Woods, Kofi Kingston, Jey and Jimmy Uso deserve to be hailed for their performances this weekend.

The relentless series of jaw-dropping offenses, mind games, and in-ring narrative was simply off the charts. There were multiple spots in the match that forced the crowd to rise to its feet and cheer for the superstars battling it out inside the ring.

In the end, The Usos prevailed as they defeated their old rivals in the title match. If anything, they showed just how important they are when compared to Roman Reigns when it comes to representing The Bloodline’s dominance in the company.

The Usos and The New Day have faced each other in multiple matches throughout their careers. They have always delivered epic bouts, and Day 1 was no different. It makes you think that a booking so repetitive it can still steal the show after years of familiar battles. It will now be interesting to see who steps up to challenge The Usos on SmackDown.

#3 Hit on WWE Day 1: Becky Lynch prevails

Another successful title defense at WWE Day 1 saw Becky Lynch retain her RAW Women's Championship against Liv Morgan. The two superstars delivered an excellent match that saw several creative blows being used from both sides.

Unlike their previous in-ring encounters, this title bout was relatively well-balanced and saw Morgan work as a legitimate challenger.

Although she couldn't dethrone Lynch as the champion, she will certainly benefit from this title challenge moving forward. Liv Morgan should use this momentum to establish herself as one of the top favorites ahead of Royal Rumble.

She has excellent support from fans, and she can turn into one of the biggest babyfaces in the promotion with the right amount of work. It would be a mistake not to capitalize on her current run.

A clean finish for The Man entails that she can now move on to a different challenger on RAW. She could eventually feud with Bianca Belair or probably Asuka when the latter returns. Becky Lynch is a dominant performer, and it would take someone equally good to beat her for the title in a convincing fashion.

#2 Hit on WWE Day 1: RK-Bro continue to dominate

Another Tag Team match at WWE Day 1 saw RK-Bro put their RAW Tag Team Championships on the line against The Street Profits.

Angelo Dawkins and Montez Ford fought against some of the strongest duos to win their shot at the tag team titles. They gave their all inside the ring, but Randy Orton and Riddle eventually managed to retrain their gold.

RK-Bro has been one of the best things in the company ever since its formation. They single-handedly made the tag team division entertaining on the red brand and are deservedly over with the crowd.

While Riddle and Orton’s chemistry is commendable, their in-ring work deserves equal credit. The Viper's flying RKO that helped him seal the victory was brilliantly assisted by his tag team partner. They also deserve credit for making their opponents look incredibly strong throughout the bout.

This loss should prompt The Street Profits to turn heel on RAW moving forward. They can make for good villains on the show with just the right booking.

On the other hand, RK-Bro will likely turn their attention towards a title feud with The Alpha Academy. But beyond that, could we see them engage in a feud with Kevin Owens and Seth Rollins?

#1 Honorable mentions from WWE Day 1: Sheamus and Edge shine

WWE SmackDown superstars Ridge Holland and Sheamus faced Cesaro and Ricochet during the kickoff show. Holland, unfortunately, suffered from a broken nose and was forced to leave the match.

In a superb encounter, Sheamus fought off against The Swiss Superman and Ricochet. It made The Celtic Warrior look like a massive babyface, and he eventually picked up a victory. These superstars deserve a lot of credit for delivering a good bout, especially considering that most of it was improvised on the spot.

Sheamus should get pushed into the title picture, and he will make for a good opponent against Roman Reigns when the latter returns. Most importantly, the match has done well in establishing a potential rivalry between Ricochet and Holland on SmackDown once the latter is deemed fit to compete.

Edge was also brilliant in his match against The Miz. Their bout was entertaining even before WWE Hall of Famer Beth Phoenix showed up to negate Maryse's influence. This is headed towards a mixed tag team match, and we hope that all four superstars will be involved in a good feud before their inevitable in-ring battle.

These performances may not have been the biggest highlights of Day 1, but they deserved accolades for doing well under the given circumstances. The right booking could lead to all the aforementioned superstars enjoying a great run-up to and after WrestleMania this year.

The only arguable flop from Day 1 was the length of Drew McIntyre's bout with Madcap Moss. The latter did well in proving himself to be a good performer, but the match was too long to ignore. McIntyre picked up a deserved victory but was later subjected to a brutal attack backstage that has seemingly ruled him off the television.

The Scottish Warrior deserves a break after his relentless performances since the pandemic's beginning. We wish him a speedy recovery from the injury he sustained and hope to see him make a huge return when he is cleared to compete again.