5 things WWE got right in the first half of 2022
WWE made some favorable decisions in 2021 that helped build the first half of the current year. Brock Lesnar’s return last year was pivotal in WWE creating the storyline between him and Roman Reigns.
Meanwhile, Bobby Lashley’s build on RAW finally took him to the top and got him a dream match. He’s had a good couple of years, getting a chance to showcase his true potential to the WWE Universe.
Sami Zayn became part of a few entertaining rivalries during the first half of 2022. Ricochet and Madcap Moss also enjoyed varying levels of success during the period and got some spotlight.
On the other hand, Becky Lynch, Ronda Rousey, and Bianca Belair have had a fantastic first half of the year. All three women held titles during the period and competed in some big matches.
NXT also underwent a big change towards the end of last year. This allowed several young and upcoming wrestlers to find their footing in the company this year and make a name for themselves.
Overall, there are several things that the company did right in the first half of the year. Certain creative decisions made the product more entertaining and drew in millions of viewers. With that said, check out the five things WWE got right in the first half of 2022.
#5 WWE RAW’s tag team division
Between 2018 and 2020, the RAW tag team division became an afterthought for the creative team. The titles were handed to many teams that could not elevate their value, leading fans to lose interest.
2022 started with Alpha Academy in red-hot form. Otis and Chad Gable defeated RK-Bro in early 2022 to win the titles for the first time together. The competition picked up from there as RK-Bro, The Street Profits, and The Usos stayed in contention for the titles.
The overall competition helped the RAW tag team division regain strength and create good storylines. RK-Bro remained a top team in the division, while Alpha Academy proved itself in big matches.
WWE did the right thing by keeping RK-Bro together for the first half of 2022. It also allowed Alpha Academy a much-needed tag team championship reign that helped Otis and Gable stay relevant.
#4 Bobby Lashley’s victory over Brock Lesnar
Brock who? #RoyalRumble https://t.co/LRDKSPoWHg
Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns were scheduled to compete for the Universal Championship at the Day 1 premium live event. However, Reigns tested positive for COVID-19 before the event and Lesnar competed in the WWE Championship match instead.
The Beast Incarnate defeated Bobby Lashley, Big E, Seth Rollins, and Kevin Owens to win the title. He then started a rivalry against Lashley. The two men exchanged some harsh words during the build-up to their rivalry.
At the Royal Rumble premium live event, fans got a much-awaited dream match between Lesnar and Lashley. While many believed that WWE would put Lesnar over in the match, interference from Roman Reigns helped The All-Mighty pick up the biggest win of his career.
Lashley won the title and put down Lesnar in their first singles encounter. It was a smart decision by the company as it managed to protect two of its biggest men with the finish.
It was also good to see Lashley come out on top in the big contest. The victory cemented Lashley as one of the big guys in the company after he spent months in meaningless rivalries during his current run.
#3 Bianca Belair’s second consecutive victory at WrestleMania
Congratulations @BiancaBelairWWE on another defining #WrestleMania moment. You EARNED it. ❤️ https://t.co/ZiUzv1vkZm
At WrestleMania 37, Bianca Belair challenged Sasha Banks for the SmackDown Women’s Championship. Both women put on an incredible performance that saw Belair pick up her first big victory in WWE.
She had a good reign with the title and held it for over four months. Belair was defeated for the title by the returning Becky Lynch at SummerSlam 2021.
The EST had a good run in early 2022 and returned to the title picture. At WrestleMania 38, she challenged Lynch for the RAW Women’s Championship. She got her revenge as she defeated The Man to win the title.
It was good to see Belair pick up her second consecutive championship win at WrestleMania. She has proven to be a star performer for WWE, and the creative team made the right call by giving her another big win at The Show of Shows.
The women’s division has taken a hit this year. With Naomi & Sasha Banks giving up their Women’s Tag Team Championships and Bayley being absent, Belair has done well to act as the backbone of the division.
#2 Cody Rhodes’ return to WWE
IT'S CODY RHODES!!!!!!!!
@CodyRhodes has arrived at #WrestleMania! https://t.co/bKDBPLCKKr
After Cody Rhodes left the company on bad terms in 2016, not many believed that he would ever return. Rhodes competed all around the world and proved that he is among the best in the business. His hard work helped him prove that he’s not just a big deal because of his last name.
The American Nightmare helped build WWE’s rival AEW and became the face of the company. After leaving AEW in 2022, Rhodes was rehired by WWE ahead of WrestleMania 38.
He made a surprise return to the ring at The Show of Shows and took on Seth Rollins. The American Nightmare came out on top in the contest and immediately got catapulted to the top of the roster.
Rhodes’ return to WWE turned out to be a good decision for both parties. He left the company as an enhancement talent but returned as a top player.
The creative team now has an opportunity to make Cody Rhodes the face of WWE in the years to come. He will likely become a future world champion.
Fans will miss The American Nightmare in the second half of 2022 as he is out with an injury. However, his return this time could turn out to be even better than the one at WrestleMania 38.
#1 Roman Reigns' historic victory at WrestleMania 38
At WrestleMania 38, Brock Lesnar and Roman Reigns competed in one of the biggest matches of all time. The Winner Takes All Match between the two top champions was electric.
The two men gave it their all, having built the rivalry for months. Reigns used some underhanded techniques to defeat The Beast Incarnate and become the first-ever Undisputed WWE Universal Champion.
Several fans wanted to see Lesnar win the two titles instead of Reigns. However, the company made the right call by awarding the title to a superstar who was appearing on RAW and SmackDown more frequently at the time.
The Tribal Chief was also having a great reign with the Universal Championship, and it made sense to hand him both titles. It was one of the biggest decisions the company took during the first half of the year.
Reigns has cut down his schedule ever since and has only defended his titles once. The decision to crown him the Undisputed WWE Universal Champion may seem questionable now. However, it was the right call at the time.