WWE Day 1 2022: 10 Things That Must Happen

2022 is upon us, people.

Yes, yes it does simultaneously feel like March 2020 was both 10 minutes and 10 years ago. The fact that WWE is about to produce its first pay-per-view of the year two thousand and twenty two is weird then, but Vince McMahon would probably do that 'nyuk-nyuk' laugh and remind everyone that "the show must go on".

WWE's creative team probably wish parts of Day 1 wouldn't. Some bouts on the undercard have been woefully prepped for the brighter lights pay-per-view provides compared to regular, weekly TV, and they're destined to flop come Saturday night. On the plus side, WrestleMania season is nearly here - that means Royal Rumble and those oh-so-familiar butterflies in the belly for returning casuals again.

Day 1 could be a fun card (for the most part) anyway. The main event is a juicy one, and it might involve some fun rehashed booking from way back in 2002. That's almost 20 years ago, which should make some reading this feel very old.

Here's everything WWE must do this weekend to kick off the new year with a bang and get 'Mania season started early.

Kicking this off with a title change.

New Day and The Usos are the perfect opening acts for this card, and not only because tag-team wrestling rocks as an entry point for wrestling pay-per-views. Both squads have a clear babyface vs. heel dynamic, are over as f*ck and always deliver too.

So, why are Jimmy and Jey getting cut short and dropping the SmackDown Tag straps here? It'd toss a spanner in the works for The Bloodline and tease that Roman Reigns' empire is crumbling before he fights Brock Lesnar later on, that's why. It's as good a reason as any to give this show a title switch.

WWE should definitely put New Day vs. The Usos on ice for a while after Day 1. They've done the feud to death, and (as great as the matches are) it will need a lengthy break following Saturday night. Bang out a scorcher, change the titles to aid the main event's narrative and move on.