Jey Uso Delivers Best-Ever Match, Heel Drew McIntyre Is Awesome, More WWE Raw Takes

The December 4 edition of WWE Raw was a show highlighted by multiple great performances including Drew McIntyre vs. Sami Zayn, DIY vs. Imperium, and Seth Rollins vs. Jey Uso,

Rollins pushed Uso to his limit in their World Heavyweight Championship clash, and the former Bloodline member responded with a career-best performance. He fell just short but looked like a future world champion.

Meanwhile, McIntyre delivered another stellar promo followed by a physical battle that he won over Zayn. The Scot even made his presence felt in the main event when he took out both competitors.

Shinsuke Nakamura made a direct statement to Cody Rhodes, delivering a promo on the parallel journeys that have brought them together. Unfortunately, that is likely to be the biggest highlight of a feud that is certain to be one-sided inside the ring.

Nia Jax showed out in an impressive beatdown of Shayna Baszler. The Irresistible Force picked up another win that has set her on a collision course with Becky Lynch.

Raw continues to set up exciting stories for an important 2024.

Drew McIntyre is Raw's Most Compelling Character

Drew McIntyre and Sami Zayn started off Raw hot and set a tone that defined the rest of the night. A fiery promo became a passionate performance in the ring that solidified what makes The Scottish Warrior special.

In an era of WWE that is defined by stables, McIntyre has made the most of his own history with various groups to elevate his status.

It is hard to tell what the Scot will do next. He has set his sights on Seth Rollins and Jey Uso, but how far will he go to make both men pay for getting in his way?

He could still join The Judgment Day. He could find new allies to support his cause. He could reach for new depths in his actions alone in seeking gold.

All that matters is that each week McIntyre makes the most of the moment. He is the centerpiece of Raw's best storytelling right now.

Shinsuke Nakamura Has Turned Into Filler-Feud Opponent

Neither Cody Rhodes nor Shinsuke Nakamura can afford a loss. The American Nightmare is still on the rise, headed for a likely rematch with Roman Reigns.

The Artist is coming off multiple losses to Seth Rollins and had been building up momentum with wins over Ricochet and Chad Gable. But he still has no chance against Rhodes.

While Nakamura's promo on the second-generation star was impactful, he cannot keep talking a big game and then lose to the top names he calls out. He is becoming a filler feud for the top babyfaces rather than building his own legacy.

At another time, Rhodes vs. Nakamura would be a top story on Raw, but too much is overshadowing the latter's potential impact.

The match on next week's Raw should be the only battle between the two for a while. Leave a rematch for post-WrestleMania when Rhodes' story has cleared up and Nakamura has built more credibility.

Nia Jax Has Earned Chance to Rewrite Her Legacy Against Becky Lynch

The WWE Universe responded to Nia Jax's return with collective indifference. While she has never been a major fan favorite, she especially lost the fans at the end of her first WWE run.

She did not take booking outside WWE until she got re-signed, yet she has looked much better in the ring since her return.

Her recent match with Raquel Rodriguez was a physical encounter that turned many heads, and she put together another strong contest with Shayna Baszler this week.

While the eventual goal would be a battle with Rhea Ripley, it looks like Jax vs. Becky Lynch is the next story. An inadvertent punch by The Irresistible Force in November 2018 sparked The Man's rise to stardom, but the two have never fought one-on-one on live WWE television.

Lynch has worked the most impressive run of her career recently in the ring, and Jax has put on some of her best matches since her return while working a safer style.

This has been a long time coming. It's time for Jax to show that WWE's trust in her is warranted and solidify herself as a reliable name in the women's division.

Jey Uso Delivers Best Singles Match of His Career

On a night of great wrestling from open to close, Jey Uso delivered the performance of the night in the main event.

While the 38-year-old has had many great contests alongside twin brother Jimmy, Monday's display was by far his best work as a solo star. He pushed Seth Rollins to his limit.

Especially down the stretch, Uso sold the possibility that he could dethrone The Visionary. That was despite the near-certainty that the titleholder would retain the World Heavyweight Championship to put on the line against CM Punk soon.

Hopefully, WWE will continue to rely on Uso as a main event talent. He has proved his worth on that front and could be a dark-horse challenger in the men's Royal Rumble match on January 27.