10 incredible records WWE broke in 2022
WWE has made it a habit to break records every year. Being the largest wrestling promotion in the world, the company and its employees get a chance to do something different at every given opportunity.
Just like in previous years, WWE and its superstars broke several records throughout the year. Their hard work and achievements ensured that the company had an entertaining and successful 2022.
Triple H also took over the creative team to lead the company in a slightly different direction. His efforts allowed the creative team to build some captivating rivalries that brought in many new fans.
Take a look at ten records broken by WWE and its superstars in 2022.
#10. WWE’s return to the UK broke ticket pre-registration records for the company
WWE returned to the UK for its first stadium event in the Kingdom since the 1992 SummerSlam. The Premium Live Event was expected to be a big one, and the company titled it Clash at the Castle.
Fans in the UK couldn’t contain their excitement when the event was announced and thronged the company’s website for ticket pre-registration. Soon after, Alex McCarthy of TalkSPORT revealed that the show at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff received the highest number of ticket pre-registrations in the company’s history.
"WWE tell me more than 59,000 people pre-registered for tickets for WWE’s UK PPV in Cardiff in the first 24 hours. This marks a new company record for any event - even WrestleMania! The UK is gonna go off," Alex McCarthy tweeted.
The Premium Live Event delivered, as fans saw some big matches between the company's top stars. Imperium reunited with Giovani Vinci on the show, while Roman Reigns defeated Drew McIntyre to retain his Undisputed WWE Universal Championships at the event.
#9. Attendance and revenue records were broken at WrestleMania 38
WWE has always aimed to break records at every WrestleMania event. It’s no secret that The Show of Shows is the biggest Premium Live Event the company puts on yearly.
This year’s event was once again a two-day event that hosted thousands of fans. The show set a new attendance record as 56,352 fans from all 50 states and 53 countries attended the mega Premium Live Event.
WWE CEO and Chairwoman Stephanie McMahon expressed her joy at setting the new record with a heartfelt message.
"This event hit all my emotions. I laughed, I cried, I cheered, I yelled until my voice was gone. I loved every second of this and it’s why I’ve loved WWE for over 20 years."
WrestleMania 38 also generated the highest amount of revenue for the company, setting another new record in the process. Cody Rhodes’ return, “Stone Cold” Steve Austin’s match, and Roman Reigns’ massive win helped make WrestleMania 38 a memorable show.
#8. WWE Crown Jewel broke a big overseas record
Crown Jewel was one of the most anticipated Premium Live Events WWE produced this year. The show's main event saw Roman Reigns defend his Undisputed WWE Universal Championship against Logan Paul.
Braun Strowman overcame the massive Omos at the show, while Brock Lesnar outsmarted Bobby Lashley to pick up a big win.
Once the dust settled, Fightful Select reported that the company sent out an internal memo highlighting the event's success. The memo announced that Crown Jewel was the most viewed international Premium Live Event, with viewership figures breaking the seven-figure mark on Peacock.
Logan Paul and Roman Reigns’ star power helped the company draw in a massive crowd. It turned out to be a very successful show for the company.
#7. Survivor Series WarGames broke three records
Triple H aimed for an even bigger Survivor Series Premium Live Event this year and incorporated the WarGames matches into the show. It turned out to be a success, as the company's men and women delivered memorable performances during the night.
Following the show, Triple H announced that Survivor Series WarGames broke some big records at TD Garden in Boston. The show was a complete sell-out, with more than 15,600 fans present.
It was also the highest-grossing Survivor Series of all time, as well as the highest-grossing gate for WWE in Boston.
The show hosted some big names, and Triple H went all out to ensure that the company broke a few records during the broadcast.
#6. SummerSlam 2022 was a big success
SummerSlam 2022 was another massive Premium Live Event produced by the company. The show played host to an epic battle between Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.
Following the event, Stephanie McMahon sent out a press release to boast about the show's success. She revealed that it was the most-watched SummerSlam in the 35 years the promotion has run The Biggest Party of the Summer.
The event was attended by 48,448 fans at the Nissan Stadium in Nashville. The company also revealed that it surpassed 90 million YouTube subscribers, 70 billion lifetime video views, and over 18 million followers on TikTok.
#5. The Usos became the longest-reigning tag team champions in history
The Usos have had a phenomenal year. The duo won the RAW Tag Team Championships this year to unify them with their SmackDown Tag Titles. Their on-screen work earned them the top spot in the 2022 PWI 100 rankings for tag teams in the industry.
Jimmy and Jey Uso have been dominant alongside The Bloodline and broke a massive record in the company this year. The Usos broke the record as the longest-reigning tag team champions in the promotion.
The brothers have held the SmackDown Tag Team Championships for over 500 days now. Jimmy and Jey Uso will also likely go on to hold the SmackDown Tag Team Titles for over 900 days combined over five reigns by the end of the year.
#4,3,2. Brock Lesnar broke three unique records in 2022
#TheBeast punches his ticket to #WrestleMania!
#RoyalRumble @BrockLesnar https://t.co/mYX6h0pPyP
Brock Lesnar was active in the early months of 2022. At the Day 1 Premium Live Event in January, Lesnar entered a Fatal-5 Way match for the WWE Championship after his match against Roman Reigns for the Universal Title was scrapped.
Lesnar won the title at the show, making it 19 years after his first WWE title reign. The win allowed him to break Hulk Hogan’s record for the longest time between two WWE Title reigns.
A few months later, he competed in the Royal Rumble and won the 30-man over-the-top-rope match at the Premium Live Event. He entered the match in hopes of getting another shot at Roman Reigns.
During the match, Lesnar broke two records apart from winning it. He won the match 19 years after winning his first Royal Rumble. In doing so, he set a new record.
He also spent just 2 minutes and 32 seconds winning the match, setting another new record. The Beast Incarnate entered the contest last and eliminated Drew McIntyre to win the Royal Rumble.
#1. Roman Reigns became the longest-reigning Universal Champion
At 504 days (and counting), @WWERomanReigns is officially the longest reigning Universal Champion of all-time!
Acknowledge him☝️ https://t.co/JC5Z5LH9f7
The Universal Championship is one of the youngest titles in the company today. It has changed hands no less than 14 times since August 21, 2016. The Universal Championship is currently held by Roman Reigns, who has unified it with the WWE Championship to become the undisputed champion of the company.
Reigns has made numerous title defenses against the biggest names in the company. By the end of the year, Reigns would have held the Universal Title for over 850 days. He broke Brock Lesnar’s record for the longest reign earlier this year and has set a new record for the promotion's longest modern-day world championship reign.
The Tribal Chief will likely hold the two titles heading into WrestleMania 39. If that turns out to be the case, he would have held the title for nearly 1000 days in the company.