Big E, Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens, Bobby Lashley Set for WWE Title Match at WWE Day 1

Joseph Zucker @@JosephZuckerFeatured Columnist IVDecember 14, 2021

Bobby Lashley arrives for his match during the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Crown Jewel pay-per-view in the Saudi capital Riyadh on October 21, 2021. (Photo by Fayez Nureldine / AFP) (Photo by FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images)

FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images

Big E is facing an uphill battle to carry the WWE Championship into 2022.

Lashley ran through Kevin Owens, Seth Rollins and Big E on Raw to earn a place in what has become a Fatal 4-Way match for the title belt at WWE Day 1.

WWE @WWE
.<a href="https://twitter.com/fightbobby?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@fightbobby</a> will do whatever it takes to get to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WWEDay1?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WWEDay1</a>! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WWERaw?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WWERaw</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/WWEBigE?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WWEBigE</a> <a href="https://t.co/OKa5Cm438U">pic.twitter.com/OKa5Cm438U</a>

WWE @WWE
LASHLEY DID IT!<a href="https://twitter.com/fightbobby?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@fightbobby</a>, against all odds, is going to <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WWEDay1?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WWEDay1</a>!<br><br>The <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WWEChampionship?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WWEChampionship</a> Match will now be a <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Fatal4Way?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Fatal4Way</a>!!!<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WWERaw?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WWERaw</a> <a href="https://t.co/qygrOEDHSz">pic.twitter.com/qygrOEDHSz</a>

Lashley and MVP opened Raw by demanding The All Mighty receive a championship opportunity. Adam Pearce and Sonya Deville resolved the situation by saying Lashley would get his wish but only if he prevailed in singles matches against Owens, Rollins and Big E.

He completed the first step by applying the Hurt Lock to Owens for the victory. KO attempted to play spoiler when he attacked Rollins to force a disqualification in the second bout, but Pearce and Deville ordered a restart that culminated in Rollins eating a Spear in a losing effort.

That left Big E as the last man standing in Lashley's way. MVP hit the champion in the back of the knee with his cane, which allowed Lashley to deliver a Spear for his pivotal win.

WWE @WWE
NOOOOOOOOO!<a href="https://twitter.com/The305MVP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@The305MVP</a><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/WWERaw?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#WWERaw</a> <a href="https://t.co/ozf2e5ctob">pic.twitter.com/ozf2e5ctob</a>

Big E hasn't shied away from a challenge since becoming the WWE champion. He survived a Steel Cage match against Lashley on Sept. 27 and dispatched Drew McIntyre at Crown Jewel on Oct. 21. While it was a non-title bout, he also took down Owens in another Steel Cage match one week ago.

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WWE Day 1 is poised to be the biggest threat to Big E's reign.