Happy New Year to our readers all around the world. 2022 is upon us and WWE isn’t wasting any time getting back to business.
Tonight, WWE presents the inaugural Day 1 pay-per-view from Atlanta, GA at the State Farm Arena. The event streams live on Peacock and the WWE Network.
WWE Day 1 Matches
Here’s the final card for tonight’s PPV:
- Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar
- WWE Champion Big E vs. Seth Rollins vs. Kevin Owens vs. Bobby Lashley
- Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch vs. Liv Morgan
- SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos vs. The New Day
- Edge vs. The Miz
- Drew McIntyre vs. Madcap Moss
- Raw Tag Team Champions RK-Bro vs. The Street Profits
- Cesaro & Ricochet vs. Sheamus & Ridge Holland
Predictions
Raw Tag Team Champions Randy Orton and Matt Riddle vs. The Street Profits
Andrew Ravens: I don’t see a title change here as Orton and Riddle have been a big part of Raw over the last few months. Clearly, the idea is for Orton to turn on Riddle at some point, but with WrestleMania just a few months away, it might be a little too soon to pull the trigger with Orton turning on Riddle. It will be a fun match, but Orton and Riddle retain. (Prediction: RK-Bro)
Michael Reichlin: RK-Bro has been an entertaining act, but I think it has run it’s course. We are now on the road to WrestleMania and I could see WWE planting the seeds for an Orton vs. Riddle showdown at WrestleMania. RK-Bro will retain, but we’re going to start heading to the inevitable breakup. (Prediction: RK-Bro)
Chris Stephens: There is a chance that RK-Bro starts to fall apart on the Day 1 PPV. It all depends on where WWE wants the team to be by the time WrestleMania rolls around. If the plan had always been to have Riddle vs Orton at Mania, then expect them to show some dissension here and drop the titles. We already saw Orton tease giving an RKO to Riddle on RAW this week, so they’ve reminded the audience that it could happen. It’s possible WWE sees value in keeping the team together, however, as they are one of if not the most entertaining things on RAW. Even if they did originally plan for Riddle vs Orton at Mania, the positive response the team has received since forming may have caused plans to change. I’m betting WWE decides there is a longer shelf life to RK-Bro then they originally thought. (Prediction: RK-Bro)
Consensus: RK-Bro retains
Edge vs. The Miz
Michael Reichlin: Edge is in the final run of his WWE career, while The Miz will join the WWE Hall of Fame during WrestleMania weekend. Miz would benefit from a win more here, while Edge could help add some extra shine to the Awesome One in the lead-up to his induction. (Prediction: The Miz)
Chris Stepens: Edge should win this match. There is little reason to have Miz get a victory, there rarely is. Miz can be kept in major storylines without being kept strong at this point in his career. So can Edge, but I imagine they want to keep Edge strong for an angle at Mania, which is not that far away now. (Prediction: Edge)
Andrew Ravens: Here’s the easiest pick on the entire card as Edge will win the match. There’s a reason he’s such a big betting favorite. I think the match will be fine and credit to Miz for doing what he does best and that’s talking. The build has been quite fun and likely better than the match. (Prediction: Edge)
Consensus: Edge
SmackDown Tag Team Champions The Usos vs. The New Day
Andrew Ravens: These teams have wrestled so much and while it will be a good match, it’s gotten to the point where you have to move on. I just don’t think WWE is ready just yet based on advertisements for upcoming house shows. The New Day wins the titles here and the feud keeps moving forward. (Prediction: The New Day)
Chris Stephens: The Usos and New Day continue to have one of the longest rivalries in WWE’s tag-team division ever. Both are perennial champions that seem to always be in the title mix. I just don’t see New Day taking the belts off the Usos here. The angle just doesn’t seem big enough for it to culminate in a title change, at least not on this show. (Prediction: The Usos)
Michael Reichlin: These two teams work so well together, the real winner will be the fans. However, if I have to pick a winner between these four men, I give the edge to The New Day. (Prediction: The New Day)
Consensus: The New Day win the SmackDown tag team titles
WWE Raw Women’s Champion Becky Lynch vs. Liv Morgan
Andrew Ravens: Morgan doesn’t stand a chance here to win the title and everyone knows it, but she has gotten over with fans and management so here we are. I see Lynch retaining and then where WWE goes from here for the Royal Rumble remains to be seen. (Prediction: Becky Lynch)
Michael Reichlin: Liv Morgan is receiving the biggest push of her career. She will ultimately hold championship gold, but I think WWE will wait for a bigger stage to crown her champion. Becky Lynch is the established ratings draw, while Morgan is still finding her way in the championship scene. The Man will pull out a win here and show Liv Morgan that she’s not quite there yet. (Prediction: Becky Lynch)
Chris Stephens: This is one match I struggle to come up with a prediction for. I think it could go either way. On the one hand, Morgan has already tried and failed to win the title, so having her lose again seems pointless other than to try and get some heat on Becky, which just isn’t going to work and they likely see that now.
What I think could easily happen, is Becky attempts to use the ropes for leverage but her cheating attempts are somehow thwarted. Morgan then rolls her up, engages in some “justified cheating” of her own, or otherwise picks up a victory that Lynch’s character will be able to cry foul about. This would then allow for Becky to enter the Rumble, win it, and challenge Charlotte Flair at Mania.
Working against this theory is that Morgan vs Lynch did not do good television ratings when they headlined RAW a few weeks ago. I think Lynch dropping the title to Morgan and then moving on to challenge Flair is the long-term story they want, however. (Prediction: Liv Morgan)
Consensus: Becky Lynch retains
WWE Champion Big E vs. Seth Rollins vs. Kevin Owens vs. Bobby Lashley
Andrew Ravens: With WWE adding so many stars to this match, a title change seems to be happening here with Big E able to recapture it at WrestleMania. The question that remains for me is who will be the next champion. Kevin Owens is someone that would make sense considering he just re-signed, but I am siding with Seth Rollins winning the title here. WWE loves heels and he hasn’t had a big title reign in a few years. (Prediction: Seth Rollins)
Michael Reichlin: Big E won the WWE Championship under less-than-honorable circumstances (cashing in Money in the Bank). It would really suck for him to lose the championship in a multi-man match that does not require the champion to be pinned or submitted. However, that scenario would also help Big E save face and make the argument that he was never beat for the title. Kevin Owens just re-signed with WWE and I could see the company putting the belt on him as a reward (Prediction: Kevin Owens)
Big E should retain here. Ultimately I believe this title is going to go back on Lashley at some point, especially now that he appears to be turning babyface. I just don’t think it’s going to happen here. Perhaps it’ll happen at the Rumble or perhaps at Mania, but not here. (Prediction: Big E)
Consensus: Split
Universal Champion Roman Reigns vs. Brock Lesnar
Chris Stephens: There is a chance that Lesnar wins the title here, forcing Reigns to enter the Rumble and earn a rematch that would then take place at WrestleMania. I think the more likely scenario is that Paul Heyman’s firing is revealed to be a swerve and Heyman helps Reigns retain. Then Lesnar enters the Rumble, wins it, and earns a rematch against Reigns at Mania. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)
Andrew Ravens: This is going to be interesting to see what WWE does here. I see a no-contest or DQ finish as Reigns can’t beat Lesnar again and Lesnar isn’t likely to beat Reigns considering a third match is planned for WrestleMania. Perhaps Paul Heyman gets involved when Lesnar is just about to beat Reigns and that way Lesnar wins but not the title. (Prediction: Brock Lesnar via DQ)
Michael Reichlin: This is the feud that keeps on giving. Say what you want about long-running feuds, but these two always deliver. Roman Reigns is doing the best work of his career, while Lesnar has reinvented himself once again to show how diverse his skillset really is. I don’t see anybody on the horizon that is worthy of taking the title off Roman Reigns at this time, but I also don’t see Reigns dropping the belt just yet. (Prediction: Roman Reigns)
Consensus: Roman Reigns retains
There you have it. Hit up the comments section to share your own WWE Day 1 predictions!
