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2021 was a massive year for WWE. Many stars were released owing to budget cuts, while others left the company for other promotions. NXT transitioned into a new colorful version. Meanwhile, Brock Lesnar and Becky Lynch returned to action over the summer after a lengthy absence.
Another colossal milestone involved Roman Reigns. Since winning the title at Payback last year, The Tribal Chief has eclipsed a year as Universal Champion. He completed over 600 days as champion earlier this month.
This year also started in a big way as both Lesnar and Ronda Rousey won their respective Royal Rumbles. However, the former UFC Champions could not succeed in their respective matches at WrestleMania 38.
Now that WWE is in the post-WrestleMania season, several things that didn't happen at the Show of Shows should take the spotlight. The Usos, Charlotte Flair, and Roman Reigns all walked out of the show as champions. Each performer has held a title for over 200 days. How long will each star continue to rule over their divisions?
The year is half over, but there are still several big moments that can happen in 2022. Here are five things that must happen in the second half of the year.
#5 WWE must restore some prestige to their mid-card titles
The Intercontinental and United States Championships were left off the WrestleMania 38 card. Instead of mid-card title bouts, two non-title tag team matches were featured on the show. The Mysterios faced The Miz and Logan Paul while The New Day fell to Sheamus and Ridge Holland.
Ricochet defended the Intercontinental Championship on the WrestleMania edition of SmackDown. However, it was only after losing back-to-back matches to Angel and Humberto. The One and Only beat both men the following week in a Handicap match to avenge the loss.
Finn Balor reigned as the United States Champion for less than two months. He was pinned multiple times as champion and eventually lost the title to Theory after the Showcase of the Immortals.
WWE must restore some prestige to both the championships. This can be done by giving more spotlight to the belts. Having a resilient fan-favorite champion would be an excellent way to bring some shine back to one of the mid-card titles. Ricochet could be that star, but his run must continue for an extended period of time for that to happen.
#4 The Money in the Bank winners shouldn't be a star with multiple major title reigns in WWE
It has been refreshing to see Ronda Rousey back in WWE since her return in January. However, she didn't need to win the Royal Rumble to challenge for a world title. Winning Money in the Bank also guarantees the winner a title shot. For that reason, this year's winners should be stars who don't have many significant championship runs with the company.
An upstart winning Money in the Bank would increase the hype surrounding a possible cash-in. Big E won last year and successfully cashed in on Bobby Lashley. It was a huge moment for a star that hadn't won a major title. Similarly, Dolph Ziggler's cash-in was one of the most anticipated moments in recent WWE history.
Since top stars won this year's Rumble matches, the briefcase must be secured by up-and-coming performers. WWE has a roster full of talented stars it can build. Someone like Rhea Ripley, Riddle, or Shotzi could be the next breakout star if given a chance.
#3 Charlotte Flair should lose the SmackDown Women's Championship
Many analysts thought that Ronda Rousey would defeat The Queen at WrestleMania 38. However, Charlotte would go on to retain her title in controversial fashion. The two rivals will face off once again in an "I Quit" match at WrestleMania Backlash.
While it seems like Rousey will make Flair quit, WWE could just as easily book Flair to win. The SmackDown Women's Champion is one of the top stars in the company and rarely loses in big matches. If Rousey does not defeat Flair, someone else must do so within the next few months. Sasha Banks or a returning superstar like Bayley could stir up the pot.
Flair has held the title since last summer. Much of SmackDown has remained the same in terms of champions. So it's time for some other stars to have a chance at the gold.
#2 A new main-event star must emerge in WWE in 2022
This goes along with the Money in the Bank point. WWE has many established stars like Reigns, Seth Rollins, Drew McIntyre, and Becky Lynch. Any of these stars can get a title shot due to their status in the company. It's time for a new face to join that list.
One byproduct of The Tribal Chief's lengthy run as champion is that there aren't many stars that have been booked at his level. It's expected that he'll put back any challenger due to his nearly invincible run as the champion.
Building up some other stars could help remedy that issue. Some recent rumors have suggested that Theory is seen as the next big thing. Could he be the next face of the Stamford-based promotion?
Pivoting to the women's division, the last three top champions are Lynch, Flair, and Belair. Women like Ripley, Shotzi, Shayna Baszler, and Raquel Rodriguez could run with the ball if given a chance. The shift in momentum could start with a successful cash-in or a strong reign later this year.
#1 Roman Reigns must lose one of his titles
WWE has booked Roman Reigns as possibly the "Greatest Superstar of All Time." He has held the Universal Championship for over 600 days and also unified the title by beating Lesnar at WrestleMania 38. Since his victory, RAW has been left without a top title to compete for.
RAW can be led by stars like Rollins, AJ Styles, or even the returning Cody Rhodes. There were rumors that each brand would still have its own title after the unification. It would make sense for Cody Rhodes to win the WWE Championship from the Tribal Chief due to the story he told upon his arrival.
If Reigns carries both titles into 2023, it deprives those other stars of a chance to lead the Red brand. Each show needs its own champion and one that defends the title at regular intervals. Meanwhile, The Tribal Chief won't lose much by dropping one of his two championships.
What are your expectations from WWE in the second half of 2022? Sound off in the comments below.
Watch: 5 Tag teams that we predicted might split up in 2022.
