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WWE Day 1 was the first pay-per-view from the biggest wrestling promotion in the world and had plenty of questions heading in. Universal Champion Roman Reigns tested positive for COVID-19, putting him out of action for the show. With The Tribal Chief absent, Brock Lesnar was inserted into the Fatal-Four-Way WWE Championship Match, making it a five-way.
This added a lot of intrigue to this contest and made it the main event for the evening. Becky Lynch defended the RAW Women's Championship against Liv Morgan in a high-profile matchup. The tag team division represented well with RK-Bro vs. The Street Profits for the RAW Tag Team titles and The Usos defending the SmackDown Tag Team Championship against The New Day.
Even without Reigns, the card wasn't bad and offered fans something to sink their teeth into. WWE dealt with the changes and made the best of a difficult situation. The performers were called upon to step up and deliver an entertaining event. In this article, let's take a look at the star ratings for every match at WWE Day 1.
Sheamus & Ridge Holland vs. Cesaro & Ricochet (WWE Day 1 Kickoff Show)
The Day 1 Kickoff Show saw Sheamus & Ridge Holland vs. Cesaro & Ricochet. This would've been a great way to get things going with this pay-per-view. Unfortunately, a freak accident on a double-team move by Cesaro and Ricochet caused Holland's nose to bust open.
This greatly affected the overall matchup, with Sheamus having to fend for himself. In a reversal of roles, The Celtic Warrior fought valiantly. All four men worked hard, which made the injury hurt even worse for the Atlanta crowd.
Despite the setbacks, Sheamus defeated Cesaro & Ricochet on his own. Understandably, Sheamus and Holland were going to win this contest, but it didn't help Cesaro and Ricochet look good at all. It shows that the company doesn't exactly have any upcoming plans for either men. It's a disappointing feeling to come out of WWE Day 1.
Star rating: **1/2
The Usos vs. The New Day for the SmackDown Tag Team Championships (WWE Day 1)
Coming into WWE Day 1, The Usos and The New Day were squaring off a lot. They faced three times in two-on-two action and once in a three-way match. Despite their lengthy in-ring rivalry that dates back to 2015, this matchup has been used quite a bit, and fans weren't as excited.
King Woods was a spirited babyface throughout, fighting from underneath to combat his long-time rivals. Kofi Kingston sold his injured leg well to get the crowd invested, while Jey and Jimmy showed off why they may be the best tag team when it comes to dual offense. The WWE Day 1 opener was incredibly fun and ended when The Usos hit a 3D on Kofi to retain the SmackDown Tag Team Titles.
Star rating: ****
Drew McIntyre vs. Madcap Moss (WWE Day 1)
Drew McIntyre hasn't found a direction since losing the WWE Championship. Following his feud with Bobby Lashley, The Scottish Warrior has hopped from one rivalry to another. This was again the case for McIntyre at Day 1 against Madcap Moss.
In the biggest match of his career, Moss worked extremely hard and showed why the company sees potential in Happy Corbin's sidekick. The issue here was that this bout had no business going as long as it did. It was a near-10 minute match that felt plodding and ended with McIntyre hitting the Claymore to win at WWE Day 1.
Star rating: *3/4
RK-Bro vs. Street Profits for the RAW Tag Team Championships (WWE Day 1)
Rap group Migos made their advertised appearance for WWE Day 1, accompanying RAW Tag Team Champions RK-Bro in their defense against The Street Profits. All four men are widely popular among the WWE Universe and it made this a tough contest for fans.
The Atlanta crowd was really into Randy Orton. They viewed him as the biggest star in this battle. The Street Profits played their roles well, going nicely between babyface and heel in this WWE Day 1 bout. Orton and Riddle showed off a new finisher as The Original Bro launched Montez Ford in the air for Randy to hit the RKO and retain the RAW Tag Team Titles.
Star rating: ***1/2
Edge vs. The Miz (WWE Day 1)
Edge made his return to Premium Live Events at WWE Day 1 against The Miz. The two men have been in a war of words, with animosity heating up on the way to this showdown. The Rated R Superstar was outnumbered for a large portion of this bout, with Miz's wife Maryse at ringside. That soon changed in the closing minutes.
Beth Phoenix made her return to a huge pop and chased down Maryse. The Miz became distracted by this and walked right into the spear from Edge for the win. This was a solid affair, with both men working pretty well with each other. This was still different from any other match on the WWE Day 1 card.
Star rating: ***
Becky Lynch vs. Liv Morgan for the RAW Women's Championship (WWE Day 1)
Next up on WWE Day 1, Becky Lynch defended the RAW Women's Championship against Liv Morgan. This was a rematch from the December 6th, 2021 episode of RAW. Both ladies delivered a strong main event to that show and looked to match their output here. Many fans hoped for Morgan to pull off the upset.
The Atlanta crowd was in support of Liv and got more behind the former Riott Squad member as the match went on. Her awesome sunset flip powerbomb on Lynch was one of the highlights of Day 1. Unfortunately, Becky reversed the ObLIVion into the Manhandle Slam to retain the RAW Women's Title.
Star rating: ***1/2
Big E vs. Seth Rollins vs. Kevin Owens vs. Bobby Lashley vs. Brock Lesnar in a Fatal 5 Way Match for the WWE Championship (WWE Day 1)
The Fatal-Four-Way WWE Championship Match at Day 1 had many believing that there would be a new champion walking out of this event. Big E faced the biggest challenge of his title reign, facing Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens, and Bobby Lashley. To add more doubt to the title retention, Brock Lesnar joined the matchup following Roman Reigns testing positive for COVID-19.
This Fatal-Five-Way Match had a frantic pace and energy throughout. This was a high-octane sprint that was all thriller, no filler. The intensity of all five men had fans reacting to every big move.
Seth Rollins and Kevin Owens came into Day 1 with an uneasy alliance and worked together to get the advantage. They were even able to keep down The Beast Incarnate! Big E had his moments as well, with him getting the better of both Lesnar and Lashley on a few occasions.
Lashley was arguably the MVP of this WWE Day 1 main event. The All-Mighty used his unmatched strength and speed to overwhelm all his opponents, including Brock Lesnar. The teases of this dream match had fans salivating.
Brock was able to reverse the Big Ending by E into the F5 to pin him and win the WWE Championship. This was the most noteworthy moment of WWE Day 1 and showed just how much the promotion invests in Lesnar. The question is, will Brock Lesnar still be champion by the time WrestleMania 38 rolls around?
Star rating: ****
