It wasn't until October 2022 that all of the group, alongside new business associate Zelina Vega, debuted on SmackDown and laid waste to Hit Row. During his two-year stint on the brand, he had a lengthy reign as NXT cruiserweight champion and was regularly in contention for a title. However, it seemed unlikely they'd ever be called up while Vince McMahon was at the helm of WWE.Įscobar signed with the company in 2019 and officially arrived in NXT in 2020. Santos Escobar, and the rest of Legado del Fantasma for that matter, had long been main roster-ready. With that said, these 10 WWE and AEW debuts were the best of 2022. Likewise, not everyone who joined AEW this year was necessarily a fresh face, but they left their mark and reinvigorated the roster all the same. Names who previously appeared exclusively on NXT and were fired also resurfaced and were reassigned to Raw and SmackDown, meaning their main roster debuts could be classified as such. Triple H replacing Vince McMahon as the head of WWE Creative led to many others being brought back in the months that followed, most notably Bray Wyatt and Braun Strowman. The same can be said for Ronda Rousey, who won the women's Royal Rumble match in shocking fashion on her return.

With Rhodes previously having worked for WWE on the main roster (and for many years at that), his 'Mania moment can't be considered a debut. Cody Rhodes' return at WrestleMania 38 is perhaps the most prominent example, not only for how exceptionally it was executed but also because of everything it entailed. The constant influx of talent (including those crossing companies) is what makes the sport so enjoyable, and 2022 had that in spades. For as eventful of a year as 2022 was for WWE and All Elite Wrestling outside of the ring, it was equally important in regards to both promotions bolstering their rosters.

Aew debut