11 Main Event Mistakes WWE Have Made In 2022
Fans would prefer that WWE had literally ripped these mistakes from the headlines.
For the last few years, a metaphorical hurricane has been sweeping through WWE’s front office. It started in 2020 as a steady hemorrhage of talent releases, contract expirations and personnel departures masquerading as “budget cuts”. Since the calendar rolled over, it has snowballed into a multi-faceted carousel of nonsense.
The last six months have played host to the most bewildering game of McMahon Family musical chairs. Shane was reintroduced, then dismissed when he started playing his own game at the Royal Rumble. Triple H retired from the ring and returned to the office following a cardiac crisis. Stephanie stepped away for about two weeks before assuming the reigns of interim Chairwoman and CEO. Meanwhile, the current Chairman and General Manager of Talent Relations are facing their hottest legal waters in 30 years and an ongoing investigation by WWE’s Board of Directors. Worse, this isn’t their only current public relations nightmare.
There’s also the haphazard bungling of the immensely popular Women’s Tag Team Champions. Leaving the company amidst creative frustrations in mid-May, Sasha Banks and Naomi literally set their championship belts on the desk prior to a scheduled main event on RAW and never looked back. Though subtle hints have dropped intermittently, WWE still refuses to issue an official statement confirming their departure.
Things are nearly as incoherent in front of the camera. Considering the circumstances however, this maelstrom of chaos is almost enough for WWE to be forgiven for dropping the ball multiple times on their main event picture…
Almost.
11. Down Since Day One (January 1)
WWE’s most admirable feat of ineptitude this year may well have occurred in 2022’s first four broadcast hours.
When the ongoing pandemic sent immunocompromised Universal Champion Roman Reigns momentarily to the sideline, slated challenger Brock Lesnar entered Atlanta on New Year’s Day without an opponent. Then the powers that be called an audible.
An otherwise commendable six-match card was bookended by an 11th hour announcement of Reigns’ absence and Lesnar’s reallocation to the WWE Championship match. While the closer itself was a captivating demolition derby, the writing was on the wall. Sure enough, the night ended with ‘The Beast Incarnate’ once again as WWE Champion. Most objectionable, though, was who took the fall in the contest.
Most likely suspected that then-WWE Champion Big E would emerge empty-handed on the evening. However, the five-person free-for-all created an opportunity to crown a new champion without sabotaging the current champion’s trajectory. Rather than pin the loss on Seth Rollins or Kevin Owens, whose Road to WrestleMania had not yet materialized, Lesnar instead massacred a promising reign by defeating the champion himself.
Even in the aftermath, Big E main eventing WrestleMania was not inconceivable. A win at the Royal Rumble four weeks later and subsequent WWE Championship pursuit would have been an easy enough story to tell. Unfortunately, WWE had much grander, much dumber plans in mind. Another cruel twist of fate saw Big E trade the WWE Championship for a neck brace two months later.
Get well soon, E. We all miss you.