Welcome to another edition of Triple Threat from Smark Out Moment, where three of us get together to discuss three questions based on one big topic going down in the week of professional wrestling.
This week, Dallas Allsopp, Callum Wiggins and Ben Williams review WWE Day 1 2022.
WWE Day 1 marked the first pay-per-view of the calendar year - but was it the big show that WWE wanted it to be?
Question 1: Ridge Holland teamed up with Sheamus to defeat Cesaro and Ricochet - was this the hot opener the pay-per-view needed? Which of these stars will have the best 2022?
ALLSOPP: It was fine for what it was, but it didn’t work out as well as I had hoped. Perhaps it was not the best choice for an opener, but at least Ridge Holland looked strong. He appears to be presented fairly well on SmackDown, therefore I nervously hope he can achieve more than all three of these men this year. Let’s face it - Cesaro and Ricochet are simply damaged goods.
WIGGINS: It was a very SmackDown-esque match for the Kick-Off Show. Nothing offensive, but it was definitely hurt by the injury suffered by Ridge Holland, which left Sheamus to win on his own, making Cesaro and Ricochet look crappy for not being able to win a Handicap Match.
Judging the four men involved, while I have no doubt they see big things for Holland right now, the safest bet is Sheamus because he appears to be secure against potential releases, and they can always find a reason to push him.
WILLIAMS: This match was just there, it wasn’t offensive in any way, but it didn’t do much to benefit the performers involved either. Why Sheamus still pinned two very talented guys in what became basically a handicap match is beyond me, but I suppose The Celtic Warrior looks strong coming out of the match. I don’t envision much for any of the four men in 2022. I think all four have passed their sell by date by WWE standards!
Question 2: Did Liv Morgan prove she deserves to hang with Becky Lynch? Should WWE have pulled the trigger and have her win the WWE Raw Women’s Championship?
WIGGINS: Personally, I don't think Liv Morgan has proved anything in this feud with Becky Lynch which demonstrates that she's championship material. Her in-ring work is okay but unspectacular, and she is incredibly wooden on the microphone. The Day 1 match didn't change this perception - Lynch is the bigger star and rightful champion.
Morgan will consistently have her stans go to bat for her on social media, which is why I think it's possible she'll get another shot at Lynch at the Royal Rumble. But, I'd be very surprised if she's holding the Raw Women's Championship heading into WrestleMania.
WILLIAMS: Regardless of how fond I am of Liv Morgan, this match and the result that followed it have only guaranteed in my mind that WWE does not see Morgan as a top level competitor. Even if Morgan had beaten Becky Lynch for the title and then dropped it immediately in the coming weeks, it would’ve made for a huge star making moment. Instead, we got a pretty weak finish to the match, and a major question mark over Morgan’s road to WrestleMania 38.
ALLSOPP: Liv Morgan impressed me with her offense, coming across as competently as she has for quite a while. As much as she has improved, it was the right decision to hold off on giving her the belt. Why? Because Becky Lynch can achieve more as WWE Raw Women’s Champion for the time being, whilst Morgan would benefit from a redemption arc of sorts.
Question 3: How exciting was the WWE Championship Fatal Five Way? Are you disappointed with how Big E lost the WWE Championship?
WILLIAMS: The match was great! There was almost no way a match with that much talent could be anything but great, however, the result just feels like the typical WWE trope of going back to what worked 10+ years ago. Brock Lesnar has no business still clinging onto titles in 2022 WWE, and the fact he pinned Big E to do it is even more egregious!
ALLSOPP: I love when multi-man matches turn into a sprint, especially when it was as interesting as this one was. Yes, Big E losing the title was a disappointment, but he hasn’t exactly set the world alight as WWE Champion. Going into WrestleMania 38, it is important to have a money man with the belt. Enter Brock Lesnar.
WIGGINS: The Fatal Five Way was undoubtedly a thrilling all-action match, which appears par for the course when it comes to Brock Lesnar. I did not expect Lesnar would win after being added to the match at the last minute, but it definitely generated a good deal of buzz surrounding his continuing feud with Roman Reigns.
As for Big E, I'm more disappointed with his reign as a whole rather than the manner in which he lost it. Just like his New Day brother Kofi Kingston, it is clear his WWE Championship reign was a feel-good, gold watch moment for a veteran, who can now always say he was once WWE Champion, rather than a legitimate attempt to make him a main event star.
Those are our thoughts on the issue, but where do you stand?
Let us know your answers to these questions in the comments below!
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