It’s that time of year again. Not only are we approaching a new year, but it also means that I get to reflect on my predictions from 12 months ago for WWE. At the beginning of each year, I always make predictions and reflect on my previous year’s predictions and it is always a lot of fun. Some things I will look back and think, man, I really hit the nail on the head there and other times I can do nothing but laugh at the things that were way off. WWE underwent a lot of changes and I do mean A LOT! For starters, Vince McMahon is no longer in charge. No one saw that coming, unless you were on the inside. And just like every year, the WWE went through some changes. Some good, some not so good, but for the most part, they have been very good for business. I’m not going to waste any more time though, let’s dive in and dissect my 2022 predictions.

Click here for the 2022 WWE Predictions Article

Current State of WWE

I explained that the product wasn’t good at the time back in January and that the WWE was practically not a week-to-week must-watch and at the time I was very right. The roster was slim, there wasn’t a whole lot of substance on the weekly shows and it was just dull. My generalized opinion is always cool to look back on because it tells me how I was feeling at the time and I wasn’t feeling too optimistic about the WWE back in January. Overall, I probably didn’t watch as much WWE this year, but I did keep up with it each week. I know exactly what is going on and I’m glad to say, things did improve quite a bit. Mostly after Vince McMahon stepped down. I hate to be that guy, but it was time for him to move on. I respect Vince and all he has done to build his company, but it was definitely time for him to at least lessen his role. A 77-year old shouldn’t be the head of creative, especially when you have a younger audience and you want to maintain the teenage and 20-something viewership.

Will We See a Possible Title Unification in 2022?

I was clearly on to something here. At the time, it just seemed like the right thing to do. Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar was the feud of 2022 and it seemed like they were going to continue what they started a few years ago. I only suggested this because the rosters were very small at the time. They had a lot of time, but not a lot of people to put on TV each week, but that isn't really an issue now. The titles were unified at WrestleMania 38 and Roman Reigns has been the holder of those belts ever since. Both titles are still in contention and they were “combined” in the sense of the winner would keep both of the belts. The man to take down Roman Reigns remains to be seen and it will be interesting when that day comes.

Who Will Be This Year’s Breakout Superstar?

This is one of the most fun things to guess each year. My guess for 2022 was Riddle. While Riddle looked like he was poised for big things, he didn’t quite live up to the expectations that I had for him this year. He and Randy Orton had a good thing going in the months leading up to WrestleMania 38 and a little bit afterwards. They lost the RAW Tag titles back in May and Randy Orton has been out of action since. In the first half of the year, it appeared that my prediction was on its way to be correct, but after his feud with Seth Rollins ended, his rise paused. I really thought that Riddle would potentially make his way to the top after Orton’s injury, but things didn’t really end well with him at the end of the year. It’s reported that he’s under a drug-related suspension at the moment and it is the second time in 2022 that this has occurred. Just as his 2022 ended, things don’t look too great for him in 2023 either.

So, looking back, who was the breakout star? In the men’s division, I would say Austin Theory. He won the MITB surprisingly, his cash-in was definitely odd as it was for the US Championship, but he later won it fair and square and is currently the champ. That would be my pick, but I guess you could also argue Cody Rhodes, but he would be more in line for a comeback star of the year (Stone Cold Steve Austin is definitely in that discussion too). I wanted to throw Cody in somehow because I don’t think you can talk about 2022 in WWE without mentioning Cody Rhodes. What a story that was. I’ll definitely speak more at length about him in the AEW article though. There is also an argument for Logan Paul as surprising as that sounds, but I personally wouldn't lean that way because he was limited to only 3 matches. As for the Women’s division, my pick is Liv Morgan and I don’t think there is really another option. You could go down to NXT and pick Roxanne Perez, but I’m not going to do that. Liv Morgan won the MITB and immediately cashed in to capture the SmackDown Women’s Championship and had a good reign as champion.

Will the WWE Finally Stop the Bulk Talent Releases?

Yes, they did. In fact, they brought some people back after the sudden exit of Vince McMahon. I was concerned about their small roster back in January and rightfully so. There wasn’t much more to cut. They released like 100 people in the span of 2021 and it was crazy how many people were cut without explanation. The new NXT was also something that mentioned. There was a rumor that talent had a window that they were expected to keep improving and if they didn’t, they would be cut. That happened with a few people, but it wasn’t anything out of the ordinary. The new regime seems to have everything under control.

Who’s Next in the Women’s Division?

This was a talking point and it was a point of concern based on roster size. This was apparently a theme or something. At the time, there were only 19 women on the active roster with 3 potentially set for return. Now there are 34 on the active roster, give or take 2 or 3 that haven’t appeared in a while. Becky, Charlotte, Sasha and Bayley were basically the only women getting shots at anything, but to be honest, Becky was the only relevant one for the majority of the year. Bayley made a big splash after her SummerSlam return, but Charlotte hasn’t been in action since May and Sasha Banks and Naomi walked out in May. Fans were tired of seeing the same women switch title reigns and 2022 was a good year for new faces. Not that she’s a new face, but Bianca Belair was the women’s superstar of the year, without a doubt. Rhea Ripley became a weekly star and continues to dominate and as I said before, Liv Morgan broke out this year. The women’s division is in a good spot again.

Will Roman Reigns Be Stopped in 2022?

No, he wasn’t. Seriously though, Roman Reigns has been the most dominant performer in all of wrestling for the last 2 years. He had a bunch of great matchups this year. Seth Rollins, Drew McIntyre, Brock Lesnar, and Logan Paul were all guys that couldn’t pin the Tribal Chief. Despite working a limited schedule on TV and Premium Live Events, he is the guy in the WWE. He did have a good live show schedule and defend it a lot at house shows, but that’s not the point that I’m trying to make. Roman Reigns wasn’t stopped, and his title reigns were never really in doubt all year long. Will that be the case in 2023? I can't say that it will, but it honestly wouldn't surprise me for him to keep the Universal Championship from here until eternity.

Bold Predictions for 2022

I always have the most fun making these and looking back at them a year later is always interesting. It tells me where my head was at in January and I like to have a little fun with some of these. Unfortunately, not many of these happened, but that isn't the point. I just do this to have fun, not be some sort of wrestling Nostradamus.

- Bayley will win the 2022 Royal Rumble

This obviously didn’t happen, but she did return later in the year at SummerSlam. (0/1)

- Roman Reigns will not lose the Universal Championship in 2022

Correct. This will be a rarity from here on out. (1/2)

- LA Knight will become NXT Champion this year

This did not happen. He did have a match for the Championship in March but lost. He also had some changes throughout the year when he was called up to the main roster. He was repacked as Max Dupri as the manager of a male model agency. Thank goodness that was short-lived. LA Knight is a star. (1/3)

- Riddle will win the MITB briefcase and successfully cash it in

This looked like a real possibility throughout the year and he was even in the MITB match, but he didn’t win. He received a shot with Roman Reigns but lost in an incredible effort. It seems at this point, Matt Riddle is his own worst enemy. (1/4)

- Lacey Evans will face Becky Lynch at WrestleMania 38

This was a total wild card. I definitely didn’t think this would happen, but this is the fun of the bold prediction portion. Wild things can happen, but this didn’t. Lacey didn’t even get a title shot this year. She did return to action back in June, but hasn’t been involved in anything of real substance since her return. (1/5)

- Gable Steveson will be United States Champion at some point in 2022

The Olympian didn’t even make his WWE debut in 2022 like many of us thought. He did show up at WrestleMania, but didn’t have an official match. 2023 is a good possibility for his debut though. He underwent a heart procedure, but it was reported in October that he is committed to the WWE full-time and is training. (1/6)

- Paige will make her in-ring return this year.

I am definitely giving myself the benefit of the doubt here. Paige didn’t make her debut, but Saraya did in AEW. It’s the same person and I didn’t clarify that she would return to WWE, so I’m giving myself this one. (2/7)

- Omos will receive a major title shot in 2022

He did not, but he did have a decent year. Not a noteworthy year, but a decent year. His biggest feud of the year was definitely against Bobby Lashley, but it’s tough to be a big man in the wrestling business. Omos has done a good job so far, even though he is eating losses on TV and PPVs. (2/8)

- Sonya Deville will win a Women’s Championship this year

This was a long shot, but obviously this was another thing that didn’t happen. Sonya actually received a few shots at the RAW Women’s belt, but it was never in doubt that Bianca wouldn't win. She also received a few shots at Liv Morgan’s SmackDown belt at a couple of house shows, but of course she didn’t win. I still think there is a ton of potential with her, but they haven’t really given her a real shot. (2/9)

- Seth Rollins will hold a major title at the end of 2022

Rollins was heavily involved in a feud with Roman Reigns and The Bloodline at the start of the year but didn’t win a belt. Despite this, he was one of the best performers all year long and honestly deserved to hold major title. He did briefly hold the US Championship though. (2/10)

Yacs

A Look Back at "WWE Predictions for 2022"

Click here for the 2022 WWE Predictions Article