Right Hook Review (12/2/2024 to 12/6/2024)

The weekly review is back, and here is my review for last week’s various events on Raw, NXT, Dynamite, and Smackdown. My NXT Deadline review will be up in the next couple of days.

Monday Night Raw 12/2/2024
• The Seth Rollins and CM Punk segment was excellent. That match is going to be great. Rollins’ questioning Sami Zayn about helping Roman Reigns set up their match certainly feels like a change is coming for Seth Rollins, perhaps from the visionary to the architect again, which would be interesting.

• Drew McIntyre’s return by attacking Sami Zayn certainly makes the main event scene on Monday nights more interesting. Do you think he and Seth will join the alliance in some crazy twist?

• The New Day segment worked especially in the end, with Kofi and Woods criticizing and kicking Big E. This gives them new life as a hated tag team where they can be the tag champions on Monday nights.

• Finn Balor attacking Gunther and getting a one-on-one match next week is a great sign for him finally being back in the title picture, and I am all for it! Also, this could be Balor’s break from this version of Judgement Day.

• The women’s IC tournament will hopefully showcase Dakota Kai’s potential and improve this women’s division on Raw, creating new contenders for the main event.

NXT 12/3/2024
• Jaida Parker’s promo setting up the NXT underground match with Lola Vice was good. This match should check all the boxes and potentially be a show-stealer on Saturday night.

• While I do not understand why Eric Bischoff is appearing on NXT TV, his appearance in the Ridge Holland/Trick Williams segment served some purpose. They see something with Holland. We’ll see if he’s ready for the main event on Saturday.

AEW Dynamite 12/4/2024
• Shelton Benjamin vs. Kyle Fletcher was probably the highlight of the show. Even with the style clash, this was a very good match. MVP chewing out Shelton post-match was good, and hopefully, it made Shelton more interesting and not the second in the Hurt Syndicate.

• I understand the continental classic is supposed to be AEW’s take on NJPW G1 Climax, but it’s just a mess, especially for people who are not into NJPW. The convoluted prize for the winner throws it off. Having good matches is no longer enough for AEW to get by. It’s time to make stuff finally make actual sense.


Friday Night Smackdown 12/6/2024
• Solo’s Bloodline sending a message to the Smackdown roster throughout the show was good. Solo Sikoa has been doing low-key good work. The standoff with Nakamura was fine, and it seems like Shinsuke is finally getting an actual relaunch.

• Cody Rhodes and Chad Gable’s face-off was random, but the match was good and reminded some of us why Chad Gable may not be ready for the main event quite yet. A superstar shake-up makes everything more intriguing going into 2025.

• Johnny Gargano finally doing whatever it takes to win the tag titles back was promising. And a heel DIY as tag champions? You got my attention. Hopefully, this tag division will continue to be re-established on Friday nights.

• Kevin Owens continues to be great! I won’t lie, I want Owens to upset Rhodes on SNME and become the new champion, going on some revenge tour. Owens is attacking Rhodes, mentioning Sami Zayn. Everything since Bad Blood has been good regarding KO and this feud with Rhodes.