WWE Day 1 Results

WWE wasted no time to hold their first pay-per-view, sorry 'premier live event', of 2022 and Day 1 was broadcast from State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia on Saturday, January 1. 

The show was originally set to be headlined by a Universal Title match between Roman Reigns and Brock Lesnar. The Universal Champion announced ahead of the event that he had tested positive for COVID-19, though, and Lesnar was added to the WWE Title match instead, making it a Fatal 5-Way. The question was, could Lesnar leave Atlanta as a six-time WWE Champion?

Check out everything that happened at Day 1 below:

Cesaro & Ricochet vs. Sheamus & Ridge Holland - Kickoff Show

A botched Assisted Senton from Ricochet left Ridge Holland with a bloody, broken nose only moments into the match after the former United States Champion's boot went straight into Ridge's face. 

Holland was taken backstage for further evaluation by WWE's medical team which made the first WWE match of 2022 a Handicap Match for Sheamus against Ricochet and Cesaro. 

Despite the odds being stacked against him, Sheamus laid out Ricochet on the outside with White Noise and he later decked Cesaro with a Brogue Kick for the win. 

Winners: Sheamus & Ridge Holland

The Usos (c) vs. The New Day - SmackDown Tag Team Championship

A feud rekindled between The Usos and The New Day opened WWE Day 1 as both teams faced off for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship, the title Jimmy and Jey Uso have held for 168 days. 

The Usos dominated the opening minutes, methodically working over Kofi Kingston until the former WWE Champion made the hot tag to King Xavier Woods. The Usos quickly regained control, though, and picked up a close near fall following a Samoan Drop from Jey. 

Kingston later got rolling and he went for Trouble In Paradise, only to walk into a Superkick from Jey. Jimmy then followed up with an Uso Splash but Kofi managed to kick out!

Kingston later hit SOS on Jey but it was The Usos' turn to kick out. Woods followed up with a Double Stomp from the top rope but Jey kicked out again! The challengers went for their tag team finisher but Jey avoided it and Superkicked Kofi. 

Double Superkicks and Double Uso Splashes followed but King Woods arrived from out of nowhere to break up the pin on Kingston.

The Usos then dispatched of Woods and more Superkicks and a 3D to Kingston scored the clean win for the SmackDown Tag Team Champions.

Winners and still SmackDown Tag Team Champions: The Usos

Drew McIntyre vs. Madcap Moss

Madcap Moss decided to grace a WWE ring with his terrible fashion sense, wearing a belt and braces and making his outfit entirely redundant in the process.

After both men fought back and forth for several minutes, McIntyre connected with the Futureshock DDT for a near fall at this 'premier live event,' as WWE have called it. 

McIntyre then went for the Claymore and Madcap briefly blocked it before Irn Dru hit the ropes and connected with his thunderous kick for the victory.

Winner: Drew McIntyre

RK-Bro (c) vs. The Street Profits - Raw Tag Team Championship

RK-Bro defended the Raw Tag Team Title against the winners of the RK-Bro-Nament The Street Profits at Day 1 and Randy Orton made Montez Ford pay for some initial show-boating, poking Tez in the eye. 

The Street Profits soon took control, though, working over Riddle for several minutes until The Original Bro made the hot tag to Orton. 

The Viper didn't wait long to hit his trademark Draping DDT on both Ford and Angelo Dawkins while hip hop trio Migos watched on from ringside. Orton then went for the RKO but Ford reversed it into a roll-up for a near fall. 

Montez Ford hit a huge move a few moments later, taking out Orton and Riddle with a Senton over the ring post to the floor. Montez then went for a Frog Splash but Orton rolled out of the way. Ford then found himself launched into the air by Riddle and Orton decked Montez with an RKO from out of nowhere for the victory.

Winners and still Raw Tag Team Champions: RK-Bro

Drew McIntyre celebrated his win backstage but he was suddenly attacked by Happy Corbin and Madcap Moss, who placed a steel chair across the two-time WWE Champion's neck before Corbin drilled him with a steel beam. WWE later announced McIntyre had suffered a "cervical neck strain with severe contusions." 

Edge vs. The Miz

Edge once again made his way to the ring with a Brood throwback, terrifying The Miz in the process. 

The Miz took control early on, though, following a distraction from Maryse but Edge quickly fought back until The A-Lister regained the advantage. Miz then went for a Skull Crushing Finale on the announce table, only for Edge to counter and drive the two-time WWE Champion into the table. 

Miz later tried to steal the win, rolling up Edge and putting his feet on the top rope. The referee quickly saw what Miz was doing, though, and stopped the count as the fans in State Farm Arena chanted, "You can't do that."

Edge then locked in the Crossface and Miz only managed to escape after Maryse put her husband's foot on the bottom rope. 

Edge soon followed up with a Hip Toss from the top rope and he went for a Spear but Miz avoided it and Maryse helped her husband by hitting Edge in the face. Miz took advantage with a Skull Crushing Finale and that looked to be it but Edge managed to get his shoulder up!

A furious Beth Phoenix then appeared and chased Maryse up the ramp, which left a distracted Miz easy prey for a Spear from Edge for the 1-2-3.

Winner: Edge

Becky Lynch (c) vs. Liv Morgan - Raw Women's Championship 

Liv Morgan got her rematch for the Raw Women's Championship at Day 1 after Becky Lynch grabbed the ropes to win their first match, but would the result be any different on January 1?

Morgan went for Oblivion early on but Lynch avoided it. Liv still managed to follow up with the Rings Of Saturn while she repeatedly screamed before Lynch got her foot to the bottom rope. Lynch later hit the Bexploder but she only managed to pick up a near fall. 

Both women continued to exchange momentum with the crowd firmly behind Morgan and it was the challenger who hit the next big move of the match with a Sunset Flip Powerbomb from the middle rope. Lynch managed to kick out, though. 

Lynch applied the Disarm-Her moments later but Liv made it to the bottom rope. Big-Time Becks then went for a Leg Drop while Liv was draped across the middle rope but Morgan avoided it and followed up with a Shotgun Dropkick from the top rope. Lynch rolled out of the ring and Morgan followed up with a Tope Suicida before Lynch rolled out of the ring, frustrating the challenger. 

The back and forth action continued until Liv repeatedly stomped on Lynch's arm while it was trapped between the steel steps and the ring post, exacting revenge from a few weeks ago. The challenger then followed up with the Rings of Saturn but Lynch escaped.

Morgan went for Oblivion as she looked to put the champion away but Lynch caught her and capitalised with the Manhandle Slam for the 1-2-3. Lynch tried to get her foot to the bottom rope for leverage, seemingly an element of the booked finish, but she was too far away and ended up pinning the challenger clean. 

Winner and still Raw Women's Champion: Becky Lynch

Ahead of the main event, WWE played an Instagram clip from Johnny Knoxville announcing his intention to enter the 2022 Royal Rumble. That 'premier live event' will take place on Saturday, January 29. 

Big E (c) vs. Brock Lesnar vs. Bobby Lashley vs. Seth Rollins vs. Kevin Owens - WWE Championship

Brock Lesnar wasted no time in hitting German Suplexes, sending Kevin Owens and Seth Rollins to Suplex City straight away. Big E rocked Lesnar with a hellacious Clothesline over the top rope moments later, though, only for Big E to be levelled into the ring post by Bobby Lashley. Lesnar was then sent crashing through the barricade by a Spear from Lashley! 

New best friends Kevin Owens and Seth Rollins worked together back in the squared circle, first targeting Lashley before they hit Lesnar with a Tope Suicida-Frog Splash combination. Steel steps were then used by Owens and Rollins on Lesnar and Lashley before the heels cleared the announce table. 

Bobby Lashley looked set to be the unfortunate victim and he briefly escaped until Big E arrived and fired The All Mighty through the table with a Uranage. 

The action continued inside the ring and Seth Rollins went for a Stomp on Big E only to be intercepted by Brock Lesnar, who decked The Architect with an F-5. Two more F-5s followed to Big E and Kevin Owens before Lesnar was levelled with a Spear from Lashley. That looked to be it but Lesnar kicked out!

Lashley applied the Hurt Lock to Brock but Big E broke it up and hit a Big Ending on Lashley.

All this did was free Brock Lesnar, though, and he decked Big E with a second F-5 for the 1-2-3.

Brock Lesnar begins 2022 as WWE Champion!

Winner and new WWE Champion: Brock Lesnar