5 bold predictions for WWE Day 1

As 2021 draws to a close, WWE gears up for the upcoming year in amazing style by booking a historic pay-per-view on the first night of 2022.

Many fans were surprised when the company announced WWE Day 1 in place of TLC, which was usually held in mid-December. Unlike most pay-per-views, this one takes place on a Saturday. It's intriguing to note that the Royal Rumble is also scheduled for January. Hence, Vince McMahon must have a trick or two up his sleeve for what is primed to be a thrilling, fun-filled night of action and drama.

So far, the creative team has done a pretty decent job of building hype towards the first pay-per-view of 2022. While the card is subject to change, the top matches include:

• Roman Reigns (c) vs. Brock Lesnar for the Universal Championship
• Big E (c) vs. Seth Rollins vs. Kevin Owens vs. Bobby Lashley for the WWE Championship
• Edge vs. The Miz
• The Usos (c) vs. The New Day for the SmackDown Tag Team Championships
• Drew McIntyre vs. Madcap Moss
• Becky Lynch (c) vs. Liv Morgan for the RAW Women's Championship

With such a stacked card, it may be impractical to prophesize the outcomes of each of these matches accurately, but this list looks at the five most probable conclusions.

Note: Seth Rollins has hinted that he may have contracted COVID-19. Hence, he could be removed from the show.

---

#5. The New Day become 12-time WWE Tag Team Champions

The much-awaited contest between The New Day and The Usos could go either way as both teams are so evenly matched. However, King Woods and "The Hand of the King" may walk out of WWE Day with their eighth SmackDown Tag Team Championships, an astounding achievement for the prolific faction.

Several reasons point to the above-mentioned outcome. First, the build-up saw the Bloodline absolutely obliterate Kofi Kingston in early November, putting him out of commission and leaving Woods alone against the ruthless trio. The best tag team in the world would be dying for some redemption, and snatching the coveted titles from The Usos is a sweet way to exact revenge.

Second, The New Day and The Usos have a history of playing hot-potato with the SmackDown Tag Team Championships. Their six-month-long feud in the summer and fall of 2017 saw the titles change hands four times. With a relatively thin tag team division, this rivalry is bound to last for at least another month, which may necessitate a title change to add intrigue.

Irrespective of the outcome, the two duos will undoubtedly put on a clinic this weekend.

#4. WWE Hall of Famer Edge shuts The Miz's mouth

The WWE Universe was elated when Edge returned to RAW for the first time since Crown Jewel. However, the returning Miz, with Maryse, interrupted the Rated-R Superstar's remarkable homecoming. The A-Lister was frustrated with the overwhelming hype surrounding the Hall of Famer's return, and the two veterans exchanged some harsh words on the mic.

On the most recent edition of "Miz TV", the two former World Champions agreed to settle their differences in the ring at WWE Day 1. The eight-time IC Champion later made a massive statement by incapacitating his rival with a Skull-Crushing Finale.

Edge and The Miz stole the show with their amazing promos, helping to build intrigue for a program that felt lackluster on paper. The most must-see WWE Superstar established himself as a viable threat to the Ultimate Opportunist during the latest edition of Cutting Edge when he attacked the legend again. This time, he used his wife as bait and lured the eleven-time World Champion into a vicious assault. With Maryse by The Miz's side, the Rated-R Superstar may end up on the losing side on January 1.

While one should never count The Miz out, Edge will most likely score the victory after hitting the A-Lister with a spine-rattling Spear.

#3. Drew McIntyre wipes the grin off Madcap Moss' face at WWE Day 1

Ever since WWE released Jeff Hardy in early December, Drew McIntyre has had to deal with the antics of Happy Corbin and his comrade, Madcap Moss, all by himself. From laughing at the Scotsman's Universal Championship aspirations to stealing his beloved sword, Corbin and Moss have dug deep into their playbook to get under McIntyre's skin.

The peculiar rivalry comes to a head on January 1 when Drew McIntyre looks to send the upstart Moss to Claymore County in a singles match.

This result seems relatively evident among all the other matches officially announced for the special. The preposterous duo of Moss and Corbin are only serving as placeholder opponents for McIntyre until he is ready to enter the Universal Championship picture. The rumor mill suggests that the Scottish Warrior may be in line for a Universal Championship opportunity at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view.

Moss is there to do the honors for McIntyre so that the former Royal Rumble winner can gain some momentum and move up the hierarchy. This shouldn't be a very competitive, back-and-forth match as the goal is to establish the Scottish Warrior's sheer power and dominance.

#2. Kevin Owens stuns WWE Champion Big E to win the title

When you look at the competitors of the Fatal-Four Way WWE Championship match, Kevin Owens emerges as the real "dark horse." Seth Rollins may be the crafty one, and Bobby Lashley may be the powerful one, but Owens possesses the ideal mixture of both attributes, making him a massive threat. If a title change is on the cards, which seems improbable at this point, then the intelligent fan will have his money on the Prizefighter.

Big E's championship reign is still in its early stages, but Vince McMahon may want to swerve the audience on the road to WrestleMania. Putting the championship on KO is an excellent surprise and refresher that will provide the boost that WWE needs en route to Arlington, Texas.

As most fans know, Owens recently inked a multi-year contract with WWE. This came as a bit of a shock to some as KO and Sami Zayn, his best friend, were rumored to be leaving the company for AEW. This could herald a bright future for the former Universal Champion.

The Prizefighter didn't have a memorable 2021, but he has a prime opportunity to remedy that on the first day of 2022, where he can win the top prize.

#1. WWE's Tribal Chief and Paul Heyman collude to conquer The Beast

One has to give WWE credit for the exquisite manner in which they've built the massive storyline between Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar. The drama added by Paul Heyman's past allegiances and present concerns, has created a complex layer that enhances the program's quality.

Last week, the Head of the Table fired his Special Counsel and brutally assaulted him. The Beast Incarnate arrived to lay waste to The Bloodline but didn't seem to care much for Heyman.

On the latest episode of SmackDown, Lesnar's former advocate appeared to be contemplating retirement and was in a highly deplorable state.

The possibilities from hereon are endless. In the summer of 2018, something similar happened when the Beast seemed to have turned his back on his advocate. However, this was a ruse to get into Reigns' head, the heroic challenger at the time. All signs point towards an almost identical situation at WWE Day 1, only this time it is Reigns who has conspired with Heyman to outsmart Lesnar.

WWE is planning a "big finish" that will extend this rivalry to WrestleMania, where the two behemoths are expected to clash in a definitive encounter. Heyman will most definitely have an integral role to play whatever this surprise may be.

Could Day 1 see Heyman and Reigns setting a massive trap for the Beast Incarnate? The WWE Universe will have to wait and see.