2021 provided plenty of squared circle excitement. We had the returns of CM Punk, Christian and Sting, the unthinkable company-jump of Bryan Danielson and the ‘forbidden door’ excitement of stars from different promotions turning up unexpectedly. So what does wrestling have in store for us in 2022? Here are five matches The Sportsman would like to see in the coming twelve months.
Roman Reigns vs The Rock
WrestleMania season will soon be upon us, and this match taking place at the annual showpiece has been rumoured for as long as Tobey Maguire’s appearance in a certain blockbuster franchise movie. The Universal Champion meeting one of the all-time greats, and the world’s biggest A-listers, is appealing for a number of reasons.
Firstly, you have the torch-passing relevance of this generation’s top guy facing a man who carried that torch through the 90s and 00s. Reigns’ significance as the ‘Head of the Table’ will be increased tenfold by sharing a ring with ‘The Great One’. There is also the familial connection between the pair. Reigns and Dwayne Johnson are real-life cousins, a fact that was even made a plot point when they appeared together in Fast & Furious Presents: Hobbs & Shaw.
The match has been mooted for previous ‘Manias, and with The Rock’s packed movie schedule it is not guaranteed to take place in 2022. But the years of rumours point to it being a bout WWE are determined to stage at some point.
Big E vs Goldberg
We can’t take the credit for coming up with this one. It was actually Big E’s idea. A clip of the New Day member saying Goldberg is his dream opponent, describing the potential match as being “big meaty men slapping meat”, went viral.
In the time since the video, Big E has reached main event level and even enjoyed a WWE title reign. Goldberg has been putting on some of his best matches since his return to the company, during a superb series with Bobby Lashley. The two big men would put on a heavyweight slugfest, and it’s easy to see their respective styles meshing into something special. Bring on the meat slapping!
CM Punk vs Kenny Omega
2021 was the year hell froze over, as CM Punk returned to the wrestling world. ‘The Voice of the Voiceless’ appeared finished with sports entertainment, embarking on a seven-year journey that took him through competing in the UFC, writing comics for Marvel and a budding film career. But the Chicago firebrand signed with AEW last year, and a whole host of new opponents await him.
Top of that list would be Kenny Omega. ‘The Cleaner’ has built a reputation as one of the finest in-ring competitors in the world, spending the period of Punk’s absence being involved in some of the greatest matches on the planet. What better opponent for Omega in 2022 than the prodigal son who calls himself ‘The Best in the World’?
Two ring technicians with dozens of five-star matches in the bank between them, this dream match is a natural fit.
Bryan Danielson vs Jon Moxley
Unlike the other combatants on this list, these two have faced off before. On those occasions, they were WWE Superstars Daniel Bryan and Dean Ambrose. The bouts, while exciting, were mid-card fare given little focus. In the years since, the pair have risen to the top of the industry.
AEW’s Jon Moxley is a far more aggressive and dynamic persona than WWE’s Ambrose was, with the real-life Jonathan Good allowed to shine through on-screen. Bryan Danielson has always been a superb wrestler, but today he is also one of the biggest attractions in the business. A meeting of these two versions of Danielson and Moxley would be an absolute tour de force.
This match hinges on Moxley’s return from rehabilitation for alcohol issues. The Sportsman would like to take this opportunity to extend our well-wishes to Moxley for his recovery. An in-ring return would be incredibly exciting, but the health and wellbeing of the performer always comes first.
Adam Cole, Kyle O’Reilly and Bobby Fish vs The Elite
First it was Bobby Fish who made the jump from WWE’s NXT brand to AEW. Next came Adam Cole, before finally Kyle O’Reilly joined him. The original line-up of The Undisputed Era have arrived in All Elite Wrestling, and already people are fantasy booking a collision with the company’s premiere three-man team.
The Elite, consisting of the aforementioned Omega and The Young Bucks, Nick and Matt Jackson, have been teasing a bout with TUE for years. Even the two groups being in rival companies has not stopped this match being something both fans and the wrestlers themselves have speculated about.
A collision would make sense too, as Adam Cole has taken a prominent role in The Elite while Kenny Omega has been on hiatus. When ‘The Best Bout Machine’ returns, it is easy to envision him taking exception to his replacement and sparking a civil war within the group. The Bucks could side with him, while Cole could call upon some old friends. The resulting battle would be a verified Match of the Year contender.
