5 things WWE got right in 2021

WWE kicked off 2021 with Roman Reigns and Drew McIntyre as its two top men’s champions. Meanwhile, Sasha Banks and Asuka were the top two women’s champions at the turn of the year.

The creative team continued to build solid rivalries for WWE’s main Superstars and kept the ball rolling throughout 2021. From start to finish, the entire year delivered the returns of some of the biggest names in the industry. Becky Lynch and Brock Lesnar shocked the wrestling world when they came back at SummerSlam.

2021 also featured the elevation of some new stars. Liv Morgan climbed her way to the top of the RAW women’s division after she spent several years in the undercard.

Not many can deny the fact that the creative team worked hard this year to entertain the fans and give WWE’s competition a tough time. With that said, let's take a look at five things WWE got right in 2021.

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#5. WWE NXT went through a major change in 2021

Many fans see NXT as WWE's premier wrestling brand. Over the years, its Superstars have put on some of the company's best matches. The brand has also served as a stepping stone for some of today's Superstars today, including WWE Champion Big E, Becky Lynch, Seth Rollins, and Sasha Banks.

On the other hand, far too many names made it out of NXT but got lost on the main roster. Recent examples include Karrion Kross, Keith Lee, and Shayna Baszler. Meanwhile, many NXT Superstars decided to stay put on the brand because they didn't want to suffer from this pattern.

For a number of reasons, in 2021, WWE decided to revamp the black-and-gold brand and turn it into NXT 2.0. The brand welcomed many new Superstars to the company; most of these performers were widely unknown to the wrestling world.

This move will help WWE build some homegrown stars for the future. Though the new theme and feel of the brand did not initially appeal to many fans, NXT 2.0 is starting to find its footing.

Bron Breakker, Cora Jade, and Grayson Waller have already made a mark on the company; each one of them has the potential WWE usually looks for in its brightest prospects. This trio's success shows that WWE made the right move by revamping the brand and saying goodbye to several of the veterans who had been performing their hearts out on NXT.

Moving forward, NXT 2.0 can help the creative team shape the future of WWE and build many stars from the ground up.

#4. Bianca Belair became one of WWE's top star in 2021

In the 2010s, a few female Superstars made a name for themselves in WWE, and the quartet of Bayley, Charlotte Flair, Sasha Banks, and Becky Lynch topped that list. All four women became big stars in the company and led the Women's Evolution.

Throughout this successful run, many WWE fans argued that the company favored the Four Horsewomen too much. Few other female performers got the chance to step into the spotlight.

This dynamic changed in 2021 when Bianca Belair rapidly became a top star. Coming out of WWE NXT, a place where she never won a championship, The EST was looking to make a bold statement, and that's exactly what she did

The creative team did not shy away from showcasing her strength in the ring and continued to give her strong booking. Belair won the 2021 Royal Rumble and went on to headline WrestleMania 37.

Belair got the push of a lifetime as WWE gave her an unforgettable win over Sasha Banks at the biggest show of the year. In doing so, the company crowned The EST as the new SmackDown Women’s Champion. This outcome was the right way to build a fresh main-eventer in the women's division.

Following her triumph at WrestleMania, Belair was booked like a powerful champion for several months. The creative team made few mistakes with The EST, aside from her crushing loss to Becky Lynch at WWE SummerSlam. Heading into 2022, it looks like Belair will remain at the top of WWE. It's only a matter of time before she regains her rightful place as a champion.

#3. Sami Zayn became a prominent part of WWE SmackDown in 2021

Sami Zayn has always been seen as a top worker in WWE. He is a former WWE NXT Champion, but he previously struggled to find genuine success on the main roster.

Though Zayn hasn’t won many titles in WWE, he remains one of the company's most entertaining Superstars. Zayn’s work with Kevin Owens has always been phenomenal, and the two men finally had their dream match at WrestleMania 37.

Throughout the year, Zayn has played his conspiracy theorist gimmick perfectly. But it wasn’t until the end of 2021 that Zayn got a chance to deliver some of his best work.

Earlier in December, Zayn got involved in the Universal Championship scene; during this run, he came face-to-face with Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar. These powerhouses are two of the biggest names in the industry, but Zayn held his own when he worked with them.

His work in the storyline was phenomenal, and he helped WWE show its fans an entirely different side of Brock Lesnar. Viewers have widely enjoyed the comedic segments with Zayn and Lesnar in recent weeks.

The Great Liberator's rise to the mountaintop only lasted for a few weeks at the end of the year, but this stretch was a fitting way to conclude a good year for the renowned star.

#2. Big E and Xavier Woods got what they deserved in WWE in 2021

The New Day has been WWE's leading faction for several years. Even after The Shield and The Undisputed ERA broke up and faded away, New Day continued to work together as a team.

At WrestleMania 35, Kofi Kingston became the first member of the group to win the WWE Championship. To a lesser extent, Big E and Xavier Woods continued to enjoy success in their own ways, but 2021 proved to be the best year yet for the duo.

Big E won the Money in the Bank briefcase and later cashed it on Bobby Lashley in September on an episode of RAW. He then defeated The All Mighty to win the WWE Championship for the first time in his career.

Meanwhile, Xavier Woods continued to demand a King of the Ring tournament to prove himself. Woods wasn’t disappointed, as WWE brought the competition back in 2021. Woods emerged victorious and became the company's new king; in doing so, he solidified his status as a singles star.

It was great to see the two beloved performers get what they deserved in 2021. WWE did the right thing by putting two hard workers at the forefront, and many fans appreciated the decision to do so. Woods can now aim to win his first world title in 2022. As for Big E, he has already cemented himself as a main-eventer. It will be interesting to see what new heights he reaches in the new year.

#1. Roman Reigns continued to dominate throughout WWE in 2021

At the turn of the year, no one doubted that Roman Reigns was WWE's most incredible star. He kicked off his 2021 with a bang and defeated Kevin Owens to retain his Universal Championship.

As the year progressed, it was evident that The Tribal Chief would remain the company's leading villain. But few fans thought that he would endure the entire year with the title around his waist.

At a time when AEW brought in plenty of big surprises to draw fans to the company, Roman Reigns remained the needle mover for Vince McMahon's company. At WrestleMania 37, He pinned Edge and Daniel Bryan together to pick up arguably the most impactful victory of his career.

At times, it looked like Reigns had his own creative team for his storylines; The Head of the Table's run has allowed SmackDown to remain the company's superior show.

Throughout 2021, Reigns has continued to grow as a megastar, as few performers can match him as a genuine attraction in the wrestling world. For this reason, WWE did the right thing by pushing him for the entire year. Reigns will kick off 2022 when he faces Brock Lesnar in a major match at WWE Day 1. After that, it will be fascinating to see what The Tribal Chief's future holds.