Sami Zayn's rise and 4 things WWE got right in 2022
WWE underwent several changes in 2022. The biggest one saw Vince McMahon retire from his role as the Chairman and CEO of WWE on June 17, 2022. His daughter Stephanie McMahon took over as the Chairwoman and Co-CEO (along with Nick Khan) soon after, while Triple H took over the reins of the creative team.
Fans have seen many released superstars make their return throughout the year. While a few returning superstars have seen a change in their fortunes, others haven’t been able to reach the top once again.
Additionally, several NXT Superstars were also brought to the main roster, especially after Triple H took over. Meanwhile, Shawn Michaels has been running NXT and ensuring that the company's developmental brand churns out the best matches and segments every week.
The company also brought many celebrities, such as Johnny Knoxville and Logan Paul, to create entertaining storylines.
Overall, 2022 was a good year for WWE, which has seen the company produce many top shows. Take a look at the five things WWE got right this year.
#5. The formation and betrayal of Judgment Day
THE ULTIMATE BETRAYAL!
How shocked were you when @FinnBalor, @RheaRipley_WWE and @ArcherOfInfamy turned on Edge?🤯
#WWE #WWERaw #JudgmentDay https://t.co/2D6KakB1xY
WWE fans were treated to a dream match between Edge and AJ Styles at WrestleMania 38. The two men gave it their all in the contest, but Damian Priest’s interference awarded Edge the win.
After the match, Priest joined Edge to form Judgment Day. WrestleMania Backlash saw Edge and Styles compete in a rematch where Rhea Ripley helped The Rated-R Superstar win. She, too, joined the faction to make it stronger.
However, Finn Balor not only joined the faction but also kicked Edge out of it. Fans have seen Judgment Day grow week after week ever since. Dominik Mysterio is also a member of the group and has been making waves with Ripley.
Judgment Day has been a breath of fresh air on RAW. Even though the faction went south for some time, Triple H helped them get on the right path again. It is great to see superstars from diverse backgrounds fight together and get ahead.
While The Bloodline has been ruling SmackDown for nearly two years, Judgment Day has done a great job building itself on RAW.
#4. Liv Morgan’s SmackDown Women’s Championship victory
Liv Morgan started her year by challenging Becky Lynch for the SmackDown Women’s Championship. It was the first time it looked like Morgan would win a title in WWE. However, she failed to defeat Big Time Becks for the championship.
The WWE creative team allowed her to grow in the early months of the year and awarded her the Money in the Bank briefcase in July 2022. The same night, Morgan cashed in on her contract to win her first championship in WWE. It was a huge moment for the superstar and her fans.
Morgan held the title for 97 days before losing it to Ronda Rousey again. Instead of a short reign, she had a memorable one. It was a dream come true for her as she had to wait a long time to win the women’s title in the company.
WWE did well to give Liv Morgan a big win this year. It was one of the best moments for many fans who have supported her for a long time.
Thanks to the win, Morgan also became a prominent star on the SmackDown brand. She now seems like a much better and more intimidating superstar than before.
#3. Cody Rhodes’ return to WWE
IT'S CODY RHODES!!!!!!!!
@CodyRhodes has arrived at #WrestleMania! https://t.co/bKDBPLCKKr
Cody Rhodes kicked off 2022 as an AEW star. He held the TNT Championship earlier in the year but lost it to Sammy Guevara in January. It turned out to be his only match for the promotion in 2022, and he decided to move away from the company.
At WrestleMania 38, Vince McMahon revealed Cody as Seth Rollins’ surprise opponent for the show. Fans were over the moon after seeing Rhodes back in action as a top superstar for the company.
The American Nightmare defeated Rollins at The Show of Shows to mark his return. The creative team put its weight behind him as he went undefeated in both on-screen matches and live shows.
Rhodes suffered an unfortunate injury just before his match against Rollins at Hell in a Cell 2022. That did not stop him from competing at the event and making it known that he was back to becoming the face of the company.
The American Nightmare is currently out due to a pectoral muscle injury. However, WWE nailed his return to the company and has given him a creative boost to make him a top star. Fans now see Cody as one of the few men who can realistically defeat Roman Reigns for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship.
#2. Returns of several released WWE Superstars in 2022
WWE was forced to release a long list of superstars after the COVID-19 pandemic. Fans saw some of the biggest names in sports entertainment get their contracts cut short by the company.
Former Universal Champions Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman were among the list of superstars who were released, along with Karrion Kross, Dakota Kai, Bronson Reed, and Dexter Lumis.
However, 2022 saw many of the released superstars make their returns to the company during different shows. While Cody Rhodes was arguably the biggest superstar to return in 2022, Wyatt and Strowman’s returns also made a mark.
Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae also re-signed with the company after taking breaks. The return of so many big names helped the creative team build new and fresh storylines to keep fans entertained.
Triple H made the right call by bringing back some big names who were axed out due to various factors by the company over the past couple of years.
#1. Sami Zayn’s rise to prominence
.@SamiZayn has OFFICIALLY become the Honorary Uce of #TheBloodline!
@WWERomanReigns @HeymanHustle #SmackDown https://t.co/kDEuGLGkNX
The highlight of WWE in the second half of 2022 was Sami Zayn. Not many will argue that Zayn carried The Bloodline and SmackDown on his shoulders for several months during the year.
The Bloodline comprises Roman Reigns, The Usos, Solo Sikoa, and The Honorary Uce. However, Zayn stood out from the lot and made storylines involving the faction a treat to watch.
Zayn matched Paul Heyman on the mic week after week, something few have been able to do. He put on great matches with The Bloodline members by his side and even sacrificed himself a few times to protect his stablemates.
The creative team did justice to Zayn’s talent and gave him a big storyline to work with. He delivered and ensured that fans knew he was among WWE's top entertainers today.
WWE Hall of Famers, critics, and rival promotion stars have praised The Honorary Uce’s work on screen throughout 2022. His match against Johnny Knoxville at WrestleMania 38 worked wonders, but he ended the year involved in an even bigger storyline