On the Road to WrestleMania WWE did not do much of that wrestling thing, though it allowed their TV shows with a lesser reputation to shine.
1. A-Kid vs. Charlie Dempsey (NXT UK 3/10/22)
William Regal is building an army in AEW, but his actual son stays in WWE rapidly getting more William Regal-esque and doing the whole wrestling thing. From feeling out process to closing stretch the work here stayed committed and grounded, with a bit for the folks every so often like when A-Kid stood on top of Dempsey’s neck bridge and rode it like a surfboard.
2. WWE Intercontinental Title: Sami Zayn [c] vs. Ricochet (SmackDown 3/11/22)
It was under 10 minutes and began with Austin Theory jumping Pat McAfee, but Sami and Ricochet packed a lot in here and delivered what at one point could’ve made a fine IC Title match at a one-night WrestleMania.
3. Triple Threat Tag Match – RAW Tag Team Title: Alpha Academy [c] vs. RK-Bro vs. Seth Rollins & Kevin Owens (RAW 3/7/22)
Every once in a while RAW just goes wild. Bell-to-bell action, big Chad Gable performance, great RKO’s — lots of fun!
4. Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic – Final: Io Shirai & Kay Lee Ray vs. Dakota Kai & Wendy Choo (NXT 3/22/22)
Always nice when good wrestlers are given some stakes to wrestle over. Wendy Choo waking up and doing all sorts of wrestling provided another angle to this very fun match.
5. NXT UK Women’s Title: Meiko Satomura [c] vs. Isla Dawn (NXT UK 3/24/22)
They kicked the shit out of each other.
6. NXT UK Title: Ilja Dragunov [c] vs. Nathan Frazer (NXT UK 3/3/22)
This had the beats of a good title match, though BT Studios is a dark and awkward place for wrestling and might only have friends and family in attendance now.
7. If Seth Wins, He Replaces AJ at WrestleMania: Seth Rollins vs. AJ Styles (RAW 3/21/22)
This was better than AJ’s match with Edge at WrestleMania.
8. SmackDown Tag Team Title: The Usos [c] vs. The Viking Raiders (SmackDown 3/4/22)
The WWE formula is what it is, there’s just so much of it and so many people trying to do it. Sometimes a match like this sneaks through and pops a crowd enough to prove why it endures.
9. Solo Sikoa vs. Gunther (NXT 3/1/22)
Solo Sikoa keeps developing by kicking ass and getting his ass kicked, both here and a match with Roderick Strong later in the month. Good and serious wrestling.
10. NXT North American Title: Carmelo Hayes [c] w/ Trick Williams vs. Pete Dunne (NXT 3/1/22)
Pete Dunne says farewell to NXT and the very concept of Pete Dunne himself in a good, solid, fun match with Carmelo Hayes.
Honorable Mentions: Tyler Bate vs. Oliver Carter (NXT UK 3/17/22), Bron Breakker vs. Robert Roode (NXT 3/22/22), Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Jimmy Uso (SmackDown 3/25/22), Edris Enofe & Malik Blade vs. Legado del Fantasma (Level Up 3/4/22), Gunther vs. Duke Hudson (NXT 3/22/22), A-Kid vs. KUSHIDA (NXT 3/15/22), Dominik Mysterio vs. Raul Mendoza (NXT 3/15/22)
