2024 Right Hook Awards

With 2024 coming a close, this year was such a good year for pro wrestling. This year was a sign that pro wrestling is back for the mainstream audience at least for one company anyway, so it is time for my yearly Right Hook awards, and we will start with the promotion of the year.

Promotion of the Year

Nominees- WWE, AEW, TNA

Winner: WWE

For the second year in a row, to no surprise the WWE wins promotion of the year in a runaway. I do not think there is much to elaborate here for why WWE was the best and does not look like their slowing down. Moving Raw to Netflix next week, Summerslam attempting the 2-night concept this year in New York/New Jersey, and Wrestlemania 41 in Las Vegas means the WWE are going to continue their stranglehold on the business and set the bar higher for potential competition to step up.

PPV of the Year

Nominees- Wrestlemania 40, AEW Dynasty, Summerslam,  AEW All In: London, WWE Bad Blood, AEW Dynasty

Winner: Wrestlemania 40

Runner-Up: Summerslam (Cleveland)

Wrestlemania 40 certainly delivered on both nights. Of course, there were some underwhelming or disappointing matches, but the big fight feel matches absolutely delivered with ushering in a change with WWE that many fans have wanted for long time. As much as I wanted to select Summerslam because that was my first live PPV ever and the energy was incredible, Wrestlemania 40 was the right choice in the end, AEW certainly tried with ALL IN: London and AEW Dynasty but were miles behind WWE’s two biggest events.

Rivalry of the Year

Nominees- CM Punk & Drew McIntyre, Will Ospreay & Bryan Danielson, Cody Rhodes & Roman Reigns, Swerve Strickland & Adam Page, Trick Williams & Carmelo Hayes, Liv Morgan & Rhea Ripley

Winner: CM Punk & Drew McIntyre

The next award was and should have been an absolute no brainer, no contest choice that did not require a runner up. CM Punk and Drew McIntyre was the best rivalry wrestling seen in a while. McIntyre solidified him as main event superstar along with reminding many fans how awesome CM Punk is by doing simple things.

Their promos were a level above the rest, their matches were incredible as well as impactful while being spaced out over a lengthy period of time #CrockpotBooking was why this was rivalry was unmatched in 2024 and seems like both of them are going into 2025 with exciting rivalries ahead.

Tag Team of the Year

Nominees- The Bloodline (G.O.D.), Nathan Frazer & Axiom, Judgement Day (Balor & McDonagh), MCMG, Street Profits, Private Party, FTR, The Rascalz

Winner: Nathan Frazer & Axiom

Runner-Up: MCMG

At first, I was not going to have a winner for the tag team of the year, but I did not want to be jaded. So, I went with Nathan Frazer and Axiom as the winners, while their run as champions was not that memorable but they had some solid matches for an NXT tag division that certainly needs a shot in the arm or new challengers to make the division meaningful again. Motor City Machine Guns almost won despite their short time in WWE late in the year but immediately made that division matter on Friday nights, Fraxiom win this year and hopefully will have some banger matches in 2025 to legitimize them as one of the better tag teams in wrestling.

Faction of the Year

Nominees- Solo’s Bloodline, The Judgement Day, Wyatt Sicks, The Final Testament, American Made, House of Black, Bullet Club Gold

Winner:  Solo’s Bloodline

Runner-Up: The Judgement Day

The start of 2024 certainly felt like Judgement Day was going to be a runaway with this award but fell a little short, which is not a bad thing. Judgement Day imploding and breaking up at Summerslam added a new layer to the situation that lasted through the year sort of. But Solo Sikoa and his Bloodline took the year over with Solo taking over as the new tribal chief bringing in Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, and Jacob Fatu who wrestling fans have been waiting to see in WWE for a long time.

Taking out the Wise man, running wild on Friday Night Smackdown even challenging a returning Roman Reigns and a reuniting OG Bloodline at War Games is why Solo’s bloodline is the faction of the year where potentially some in that group could have a huge year in 2025, more on that take later.

Biggest Return/Debut

Nominees- Tama Tonga debuts on Smackdown, Jacob Fatu debut in WWE, Roman Reigns returning at Summerslam, Bobby Lashley debuts in AEW, MJF returns at Double or Nothing, Ricochet at AEW All In: London, Wyatt Sicks debut

Winner: Jacob Fatu debuts on Smackdown

2024 was filled with some awesome surprise returns and debuts. As much as Roman Reigns return at Summerslam was amazing being there for it live, Jacob Fatu debuting in WWE was my choice because it finally happened! Fatu in WWE has been excellent so far where hopefully in 2025 the werewolf gets his hands on some gold becoming the main event star die-hard fans know Fatu truly is.

Female Wrestler of the Year

Nominees- Roxanne Perez, Rhea Ripley, Mariah May, Kris Statlander, Tiffany Stratton, Liv Morgan, Jordynne Grace, Athena

Winner: Roxanne Perez

Runner-Up: Rhea Ripley

Mami going back-to-back as female wrestler of the year did not happened because Roxanne Perez and her run in NXT this year was incredible. Regaining the women’s title at Stand & Deliver and defending it against all comers throughout the year solidify her nickname of the Prodigy. Perez being the centerpiece of that extremely talented NXT women’s division is a great sign for that division and Perez who could be a call up to the main roster at some point in 2025.

Male Wrestler of the Year

Nominees- Drew McIntyre, Damian Priest, Gunther, Solo Sikoa, Swerve Strickland, Will Ospreay, Nic Nemeth, Cody Rhodes, Sami Zayn

Winner:  Drew McIntyre & Swerve Strickland

Runner-Up: Gunther

The Ring General won male wrestler of the year in 2023 and absolutely had a convincing case in 2024 to go back-to-back when he won the world heavyweight title after his historic IC title reign while becoming one of the faces of Monday Night Raw but was the runner up to this year’s winners. That is right winners because it was a tie between Drew McIntyre and Swerve Strickland being my 2024 male wrestler or wrestlers of the year.

Both McIntyre and Strickland stepped up their game this year becoming regular main event stars for WWE and AEW respectfully. Strickland becoming AEW champion having a respectable title reign with some impressive matches, while McIntyre just kept having banger matches throughout 2024 with his Wrestlemania title match against Seth Rollins, to Money in the Bank, to Summerslam, Bash in Berlin, and finally Bad Blood reinforced why McIntyre is now undeniable. I am sure this may come off like a cop-out but honestly it is challenging to decide between these two and both are deserving of this award.

Women’s Match of the Year

Nominees
1.Mariah May vs. Toni Storm (All In: London)
2. Rhea Ripley vs. Becky Lynch (WM Night 1)
3. Bayley vs. Iyo Sky (WM40 Night 2)
4. Roxanne Perez vs. Jordynne Grace (NXT Battleground)
5. Lola Vice vs. Shayna Baszler (NXT Battleground: NXT Underground match)

Winner: Roxanne Perez vs. Jordynne Grace (NXT Battleground)

Runner-Up: Bayley vs. IYO SKY (Wrestlemania 40 Night 2)

Now to the male and female matches of the year, and we start with the ladies where Roxanne Perez had a few options for match of the year, and I picked her match at NXT Battleground against Jordynne Grace during the NXT/TNA partnership. While women’s wrestling as a whole is top heavy, this year had a good number of matches but Perez and Grace at Battleground came out on top.

*Honorable Mention*
Roxanne Perez vs. Lyra Valkyria (NXT Stand and Deliver)
Roxanne Perez vs. Lola Vice (NXT Heatwave)
Mercedes Mone vs. Kris Statlander (AEW Full Gear)
Liv Morgan vs. Rhea Ripley (Summerslam)



Men’s Match of the Year

Nominees
1. Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns (WM40 Night 2)
2. Swerve Strickland vs. Bryan Danielson (All In: London)
3. CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre (HIAC Bad Blood)
4. Bryan Danielson vs. Will Ospreay (AEW Dynasty)
5. Drew McIntyre vs. CM Punk w/Seth Rollins as guest referee (Summerslam)

Winner: Drew McIntyre vs. CM Punk (HIAC Bad Blood) & Bryan Danielson vs. Will Ospreay (AEW Dynasty)

Runner-Up: Cody Rhodes vs. Roman Reigns (Wrestlemania 40 Night 2)

SURPRISE THERE IS ANOTHER TIE! Seriously though picking one match for men’s match of the year was impossible, trimming the nominees to five was a challenge so after totally racking my brain about this I decided to go with co-men’s match of the year with Drew McIntyre vs. CM Punk in Hell in the Cell at Bad Blood and AEW’s crowning jewel of matches with Bryan Danielson vs. Will Ospreay from AEW Dynasty.

Cody Rhodes against Roman Reigns at Wrestlemania 40 being the runner-up is nuts especially with the build up to that match where Rhodes finally finished his story becoming WWE champion dethroning Reigns and his historic title reign. Punk and McIntyre had a series of matches that was incredible ending with that hell in the cell match in Atlanta, while in AEW Ospreay certainly was involved in all of their big and highly praised matches but the match at Dynasty against Danielson was exactly what AEW is supposed to be with these dream matches that delivered. Regardless, 2024 certainly had a share of incredible matches across the landscape, but these two matches were the best in 2024.

*Honorable Mentions*
Cody Rhodes vs. AJ Styles (WWE Backlash: France)
Nic Nemeth vs. Josh Alexander (TNA Emergence)
Samoa Joe vs. Adam Page vs. Swerve Strickland (AEW Revolution)
Gunther vs. Sami Zayn (WM40 Night 1)
Damian Priest vs. Gunther (Summerslam)


Breakthrough Male Wrestler of the Year

Nominees:  Jey Uso, Solo Sikoa, Konosuke Takeshita, Bronson Reed, Joe Hendry, Jacob Fatu

Winner:  Jacob Fatu

Runner-Up: Bronson Reed

Male breakthrough wrestler in 2024 is a slam dunk with Jacob Fatu, from his debut to what he is becoming on Smackdown is why he won this award. Jey Uso and Bronson Reed certainly had strong cases to win this award considering how much they held down things on Monday nights throughout 2024, but the Samoan Werewolf made a huge splash this year that out shadowed everyone else.

Breakthrough Female Wrestler of the Year

Nominees: Mariah May, Kris Statlander, Jaida Parker, Lola Vice, Willow Nightingale, Kelani Jordan, Stephanie Vaquer

Winner:  Mariah May

Runner-Up: Lola Vice

AEW did not have the best year in 2024, but one of the few highlights for AEW was the growth of Mariah May. May certainly came out of nowhere for me to become a major player in that shaky AEW women’s division. Winning the women’s championship from Toni Storm and being the top champion over Mercedes Mone is a sign of confidence for her. Lola Vice also had a impressive year in NXT stepping up in big way being not just incredible eye candy (Not a bad thing) but Mariah May edged out with this award but is a promising sign for the next group of female stars in wrestlers.

Biggest Dud
Nominees: Jack Perry’s return to AEW, The Elite attacking Tony Khan, Raquel Rodriguez return at Bad Blood, Jon Moxley and the Death Riders

Winner: The Elite attacking Tony Khan

Now to the cynical side of me with the biggest dud in wrestling this year, which is an AEW award this year with how awful things were in 2024. Jack Perry’s overhyped return and the entire Jon Moxley and his death rider’s situation could have won this award, but the winner was The Elite attacking Tony Khan and all that came with it before and after.

This dud continued to validate my stance about AEW that Tony Khan is one of the worst things to happen to pro wrestling, the elite being one of the biggest detriments  to the promotions, that CM Punk will forever live rent free in that promotion’s and fan base heads, and how living and dying by words, ideas, and praises of Dave Meltzer will continue to kill this entire thing if nothing changes.

The attack itself was so deflating then became laughable with Tony Khan appearing on the NFL network and draft faking being injured during that weekend only enhanced how bad and not believable what the promotion presents. I know I come off like an AEW hater which again for the hundredth time I am not, just being fair and honest about what is bad as a lifelong wrestling fan. Hopefully in 2025 something will change to turn something around for AEW because 2024 was not a good year highlighted by this massive dud on Dynamite.

Best Crowd
Nominees:  Wrestlemania 40, WWE Bad Blood, WWE Backlash: France, AEW Dynasty, AEW Revolution, NXT Heatwave

Winner: WWE Backlash: France

Runner-Up: Wrestlemania 40

My last award for this year is for the best crowd at an event in 2024, and the winner feels like a run away but the international crowds this year in pro wrestling were amazing, making our domestic crowds have to step up their enthusiasm like the crowds in the UK, Germany, Australia and in France where our winner resides. WWE Backlash has had the most exciting crowds the past 2 years and this year in Lyon, France that crowd was the best crowd for big events in 2024.

From start to finish that crowd was absolutely insane and into every match especially in the main event with Cody Rhodes and AJ Styles where the noise was so overwhelming the camera shook during AJ Styles introduction (go find it on YouTube or Google) was visual and image that could encapsulate professional wrestling in 2024.

Thank you for following this blog throughout the year, I cannot begin to express how much that means to me. Have a safe happy new year and see you folks in 2025.