The Usos (Jimmy & Jey) (c) vs. The New Day (Kofi Kingston & Xavier Woods) – Smackdown Tag Team Championship match

Background: The New Day defeated The Usos in a championship contender match on Smackdown a few weeks ago which made them number one contenders for Jimmy & Jey’s titles.

Previous PPV matches: This is the 6th PPV match between these two teams, previously The New Day have won 5, The Usos won 1 match and the other ended a no contest.

Match: Jimmy Uso and Xavier Woods kick off the match. Kofi tags in and we get some nice teamwork from Woods and Kingston. A distraction form Jey Uso gives the champions the advantage. The Usos dominate for a while until Kofi makes the hot tag to Woods who picks up the pace. Xavier hits a sit-out death valley driver for a two count.Jey hits a pop-up Samoan drop for a near fall. Kofi tags in and hits a boom drop before motioning for trouble in paradise but Jey counters with a kick. Jimmy then hits a splash off the top for a near fall. Kofi hits SOS for a near fall. New Day hit a double team backbreaker/stomp for a near fall. The crowd are really into this. The Usos hit double superkicks and then double splashes but Xavier Woods makes sure the match doesn’t end there. All four men go at it, Jimmy takes out Woods on the outside and the champions hit a 3D on Kofi for the win!

Result: The Usos retain the Smackdown Tag Team Championships by pinfall.

Review: This was a really fun way to kick off the show. It had a good pace throughout and you just know these two teams have such good chemistry. The Usos win though and extend their title reign. I don’t think this feud will continue, a clean win for The Usos will mean new contenders.

Rating: 7/10

Drew McIntyre vs. Madcap Moss

Background: Drew McIntyre actually wanted to face Happy Corbin tonight but Corbin volunteered Madcap Moss for this one.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time PPV match between these two men as it’s Madcap Moss’ PPV debut.

Match: Madcap Moss tells a few jokes before the match to boo’s from the crowd. McIntyre gets the first knockdown in but it’s not long before Moss gets a few shots in which just fires up Drew. It’s all McIntyre from here as he hits clotheslines, boots and suplexes before taking the fight to the outside where he hits a big belly to belly suplex. Drew gets distracted by Corbin which allows Madcap to take control. Moss does well until McIntyre avoids a shoulder charge. Drew fires up with three big throws and a neckbreaker. Moss counters out of a future shock DDT but gets hit with a sky high. Drew looks for a cross body but Moss catches him and hits a slam which was pretty impressive considering the speed Drew was going. Drew hits the futureshock DDT for a near fall. McIntyre hits a throw off the top and then a claymore for the win.

Result: Drew McIntyre wins by pinfall.

Review: This match wasn’t terrible. I’m not sure it was necessary for a “premium event” but it gives McIntyre a win and I can see his rivalry with Corbin going all the way to Wrestlemania. Pretty run of the mill stuff here, nothing spectacular. I was impressed by the strength of Madcap Moss, with a better gimmick he could go places.

Rating: 5/10

RK-Bro (Randy Orton & Riddle) (c) vs. The Street Profits (Montez Ford & Angelo Dawkins) – Raw Tag Team Championship match

Background: The Street Profits saw off competition from the likes of AJ Styles & Omos, The Mysterios and Alpha Academy to become number one contenders to the Raw Tag Team Championships.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time PPV match between these two tag teams.

Match: RK-Bro bring out Migos with them. Riddle and Angelo Dawkins kick off the match but it’s not long before the Street Profits are making quick tags. Randy Orton tags in to a big pop. Angelo and Monte do the Orton pose to boo’s. Dawkins wriggles out of an RKO attempt. It’s back and forth from here as both teams make regular tags. The Street Profits dominate for a while, keeping Riddle away from Randy but eventually Orton tags in and all hell breaks loose with all four men. Montez Ford hits a huge dive over the ringpost, taking out both opponents. Back in the ring Ford looks for a frog splash but Orton moves out of the way. Riddle then throws Ford up for Orton to hit an RKO for the three!

Result: RK-Bro retain the Raw Tag Team Championships by pinfall.

Review: This match was decent enough. There were some fun spots, especially Montez flying over the ringpost. Riddle and Randy are getting a good push right now and I can see them as champions all the way to Wrestlemania now. I also wonder whether The Street Profits would benefit from a heel turn. A good match tonight from these two teams.

Rating: 6/10

Edge vs. The Miz

Background: On the November 29 episode of Raw, Edge made his return from hiatus, which was his first post-draft appearance since the 2021 WWE Draft results went into effect on October 22. Edge, who was drafted to Raw, then listed off names of potential opponents he had not yet faced. The Miz, along with his wife Maryse, interrupted, with Miz also making his return from hiatus after filming the 30th season of Dancing with the Stars. Miz felt disrespected as his return was not promoted like Edge’s was and also because he was not on Edge’s list of potential opponents. After a heated verbal exchange, Miz teased fighting Edge, however, Miz rejected and departed. The following week, Edge was a guest on “Miz TV”. After another heated verbal exchange between the two, Miz challenged Edge to a match at Day 1, and Edge accepted.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time PPV match between these two men.

Match: Edge has the awesome Brood entrance, coming up through the fire to the old music. The Miz has Maryse in his corner. It’s a back and forth start to the match until Maryse distracts Edge allowing Miz to take control. This match has a slower pace than the other matches tonight. Edge avoids Miz’s trademark clothesline in the corner which gives Edge the advantage. Edge seemed gassed quite early in this match. Miz looks for a skull-crushing finale on the announce desk but Edge counters into a facebuster. Back in the ring and Miz launches Edge into the ringpost to switch the momentum before locking on the figure four. Edge counters the figure four but Miz breaks it. Edge applies a crossface but Maryse helps her husband to get his foot on the rope. Miz avoids a spear and distracts the referee long enough for Maryse to smash Edge with her handbag! Miz hits a skull-crushing finale but it’s not enough to keep Edge down for the 3. Beth Phoenix then walks out from the back! Beth chases Maryse to the back! Edge hits Miz with a spear and that’s all she wrote.

Result: Edge beats Miz by pinfall.

Review: This was a slow match for the most part but it did pick up and the finish was a lot of fun. I’m all for Beth Phoenix getting involved again. This is going to lead to a mixed tag team match but can they keep this rivalry going all the way to Wrestlemania? Decent match tonight between these two veterans and I don’t think it’ll be the last time we see these four in a ring together.

Rating: 6/10

Becky Lynch (c) vs. Liv Morgan – Raw Women’s Championship match

Background: On the November 8 episode of Raw, Liv Morgan won a fatal five-way match to earn a Raw Women’s Championship match against Becky Lynch. The title match took place on the December 6 episode where Lynch retained the title by using the ropes as leverage during the pin. The following week, Lynch celebrated her win and insulted Morgan. An irate Morgan then came out, lambasted Lynch for cheating to win, and demanded a rematch at Day 1. The two then brawled where Lynch attacked Morgan’s arm using the steel steps. Lynch then accepted Morgan’s challenge.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time singles PPV match between these two girls.

Match: Liv Morgan starts the match well, hitting Becky with a facebuster and taking the fight to the outside where she smashes Becky’s head off the announce desk a few times. It’s all Liv as she continues the assault and then locks on the ring of Saturn. Becky gets to the ropes and then retreats. Lynch soon takes control and seems frustrated because she can’t keep Liv down. Becky hits a weak legdrop for a two count. It’s a back and forth match with Liv taking control with a missile dropkick. Becky hits a suplex and locks on an armbar which Liv gets out of. Liv hits a big springboard sunset powerbomb for a near fall. Becky over-acts as she gets a near fall. Liv dropkicks Becky out of the ring and hits a suicide dive. Liv stomps all over Becky arms on the ring steps before locking the rings of Saturn back on in the ring but Lynch breaks out. Morgan looks for oblivion but Becky counters into a manhandle slam for the three! It looks like Becky was supposed to get her foot on the rope for extra leverage but couldn’t reach.

Result: Becky Lynch retains the Raw Women’s Championship by pinfall.

Review: This was a good match and definitely the best match of Liv Morgan’s career. Liv is missing something at the moment and I can’t put my finger on what but she’s a little shy of a singles title. Becky remains as champion and will probably be champion walking into Wrestlemania. Good match tonight.

Rating: 6.75/10

Big E (c) vs. Seth Rollins vs. Kevin Owens vs. Bobby Lashley vs. Brock Lesnar – Fatal Five Way for the WWE Championship

Background: On the October 25 episode of Raw, Seth “Freakin” Rollins won a ladder match to become the number one contender for the WWE Championship. On the November 29 episode, it was announced that Rollins would receive his title match against WWE Champion Big E at Day 1. That same night, however, WWE officials Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville set up a non-title match between Big E and Kevin Owens, who had also competed in the ladder match, where if Owens won, he would be added to the title match, much to the displeasure of Rollins, who had been at odds with Owens over the past few weeks. In an attempt to sabotage the match, Rollins interfered, thus Owens won by disqualification and was added to the championship match, making it a triple threat match. The following week, after Big E had defeated Owens in a steel cage match with Rollins on commentary, Bobby Lashley came out and viciously attacked the three. On the next episode, Lashley, who Big E had defeated for the title in September, explained his actions and demanded to be added to the championship match at Day 1; however, Owens and Rollins took exception while Big E stated that it did not matter who he faced as he would still be champion after Day 1. Pearce and Deville then came out and scheduled Lashley to face Owens, Rollins, and Big E, respectively, where if he won each match, he would be added to the championship match. Lashley was successful and was added to the WWE Championship match at Day 1, making it a fatal four-way match. Furthermore, free agent Brock Lesnar was added to the match following the announcement of Roman Reigns’ positive COVID-19 diagnosis on January 1, thus making it a fatal five-way match.

Previous PPV matches: This is a first time fatal five way involving all of these men.

Match: All hell breaks loose between all five men before the bell can even ring. The bell does ring and it signals the beginning of suplex city as he hits Owens and Rollins with German suplexes. Big E knocks Lesnar out of the ring but then it’s Bobby Lashley’s time to shine as he spears Lesnar through a barricade and then goes after the other three men. Seth Rollins and Kevin Owens look to team up and they take out Lashley before turning their attention to Brock Lesnar, hitting him with a suicide dive and frog splash. Rollins and Owens then hit Lashley and Lesnar with the ring steps. Big E then hits a urunage on Bobby through the announce desk. Rollins looks for a stomp on Big E but Lesnar appears out of nowhere and hits F5’s on Seth, Big E and then Owens. Lashley takes Lesnar down with a spear for a near fall. Lashley applies the hurt lock to Lesnat but Big E breaks it up and hits a big ending on Lashley. Big E looks for a big ending on Lesnar but Brock counters it and hits an F5 on Big E which is enough for the win!

Result: Brock Lesnar wins the WWE Championship by pinfall.

Review: This was a short match, a really short match, but it was a good one. given more time this would have been a classic but it still goes down as a very good match. Brock Lesnar wins the WWE Championship tonight which is a bit of a surprise but you can never be too surprised when Brock Lesnar wins a title. How will this affect Wrestlemania? I’d love to see Lesnar v Lashley at Wrestlemania. A good match to end the show tonight but a short one.

Rating: 7/10