After a while, a secondary PLE was held in the United States as WWE Bad Blood 2024 made its return. With faulty match sequences and some questionable booking decisions, it was a mix of both good and bad. Let’s see how the whole show panned out:
Drew McIntyre vs. CM Punk: Hell in a Cell Match
The show kicked off with a match that truly did justice to the name of WWE Bad Blood 2024—a Hell in a Cell match that marked the end of the trilogy between CM Punk and Drew McIntyre. We finally saw the culmination of this blood feud, and they delivered in spectacular fashion. This match was a masterclass in in-ring psychology, mixed with outstanding storytelling. Easily one of the best matches of 2024, both men came to destroy each other, but Drew was on a mission. This shouldn’t surprise anyone who has been following this drama over the last few months. Drew dominated most of the match, making Punk bleed early on. But no matter what McIntyre put Punk through, Punk kept fighting, even when covered in his own blood.
McIntyre also ended up with a crimson mask after Punk hit him with a toolbox. The match had everything you’d expect from these two: both competitors kicking out of finishers, a table spot, brutal headshots, and an intense moment when Drew asked Punk for forgiveness before low-blowing him. Drew refusing to wipe his own blood was a standout moment. The ending came when Drew went for a Claymore, but Punk dodged, sending Drew into a set of steps. Punk then wrapped a chain around his knee, shoved beads dumped by McIntyre into his mouth, and hit a GTS to win. A fitting end to arguably the best rivalry of WWE Bad Blood 2024. Both men came out strong, despite the result. My only complaint is that this match should have been the main event. Nonetheless, this will go down as a historic Hell in a Cell match from WWE Bad Blood 2024.
WWE Women’s Championship: Nia Jax vs. Bayley
This was a rematch of their excellent SummerSlam bout. We saw Bayley win a number one contender match against Naomi on SmackDown, but the build primarily focused on the relationship between the Women’s Champion and the MITB holder, Tiffany. The big question was whether Tiffany would turn on Nia Jax to cash in at WWE Bad Blood 2024. Nia was confident she’d win easily, but Bayley reminded everyone why she’s a multi-time Grand Slam Women’s Champion.
While this match wasn’t quite as good as their previous encounter, it was still entertaining. Nia showcased new moves from her arsenal, demonstrating her improvement. She did everything to keep Bayley down, but Bayley just kept finding strength from somewhere. Bayley could have won, but with the referee out of commission, there was no one to make the count. Tiffany Stratton ran out, teasing a potential cash-in, but before we could find out, Nia recovered, and Tiffany accidentally distracted Bayley. This opened the door for Nia Jax to secure the win and retain her championship at WWE Bad Blood 2024.
Damian Priest vs. Finn Balor
This match became inevitable after Finn Bálor turned on Damian Priest at SummerSlam. However, the build didn’t quite match the intensity of the blood feud it was supposed to be. The match was evenly contested, with both men trading control. Every time one seemed close to winning, the other would counter, creating even more animosity between them.
Carlito ran out, causing a distraction, and JD McDonagh took advantage, hitting Priest while the referee’s back was turned. Finn seemed set for the win at WWE Bad Blood 2024, but Priest kicked out and fought off Judgment Day on his own. Finn hit two Coup de Grâce on Damian, but Priest no-sold them and delivered a South of Heaven to secure the victory. I expected more matches down the line, thinking they were saving the best for later, but Damian’s decisive win left Finn looking weak and didn’t set up much potential for a rematch. I’m unsure where they’ll go from here after WWE Bad Blood 2024.
Triple H Announcement
Triple H came out with a much-hyped, supposedly historic announcement at WWE Bad Blood 2024. He revealed that at the upcoming Crown Jewel event, each male and female World Champion will go head-to-head, though their titles won’t be on the line. Instead, the winner will be crowned the 2024 Crown Jewel Champion. Frankly, I’m unsure why we need another gimmicky title just for the Saudi shows. The crowd didn’t react positively to this announcement either at WWE Bad Blood 2024.
Triple H was then interrupted by Gunther, who declared that the title would undoubtedly be his. He then turned his attention to Bill Goldberg, who was in attendance that night, calling him a “one-trick pony” and taunting his son, Gage, by questioning if Bill was a better father than he was a wrestler. While Goldberg wasn’t able to get to Gunther, Sami Zayn did, leading to a setup for their World Heavyweight Championship match on the next Monday Night Raw.
Women’s World Heavyweight Championship: Liv Morgan vs. Rhea Ripley
Rhea Ripley had been chasing Liv Morgan since her return, with Dominik Mysterio aligning himself with Liv. To prevent interference at WWE Bad Blood 2024, a special stipulation was added: Dominik would be suspended in a steel cage above the ring. Liv and Dom made a memorable entrance in a souped-up red low rider. Before the match, Rhea taunted Dom, saying he was afraid of heights, which led to him being raised in the air to kick off the match at WWE Bad Blood 2024.
The chemistry between Liv and Rhea was on full display. Liv targeted Rhea’s knee for most of the match, setting up for an ObLIVion that was ultimately countered. Meanwhile, Dom watched helplessly from above as Rhea destroyed the love of his life. In a shocking moment, Dom accidentally slipped, getting his foot caught and causing him to dangle in the air like a piñata, which got an audible gasp from the crowd. Rhea then turned her attention to Dom, grabbing a kendo stick to attack him. Suddenly, Raquel Rodriguez made a surprise return at WWE Bad Blood 2024, taking out Rhea. Liv retained her championship via disqualification. However, Raquel’s return seemed a bit botched, as she beat down Rhea and placed Liv on top of her for the pin, even though the referee had already called the match. It’ll be interesting to see how the story progresses, especially with Judgment Day possibly gaining a new member.
Cody Rhodes & Roman Reigns vs. Solo Sikoa & Jacob Fatu
As much as I haven’t enjoyed Cody Rhodes’s ongoing battle with The Bloodline, I have to give this match a pass at WWE Bad Blood 2024. It still feels surreal to see Roman and Cody put aside their differences to fight a common enemy. Their pre-match promo was beautifully done and set the tone for what was to come. Special entrances for both Cody and Roman Reigns gave the match an elevated sense of importance.
Jacob Fatu started for The Bloodline, while Rhodes began for his team. When Solo Sikoa entered the ring, the crowd began chanting for Roman. Eventually, Cody tagged in Roman, marking his much-anticipated return to in-ring action. Solo and Jacob dominated most of the match, with Cody and Roman struggling to tag each other. Jacob Fatu proved to be a game-changer for The Bloodline at WWE Bad Blood 2024. But once Cody finally tagged Roman back in, the match took a turn. Roman was set to win when Fatu intervened, but Rhodes stopped the count with a Cross Rhodes on Jacob outside the ring. In a cool moment, Cody saluted Roman before jumping off the top rope to put Fatu through the announce table. Roman hit Solo with a Superman Punch, but Tonga Loa and Tama Tonga showed up to interfere. Just when it looked like The Bloodline had the upper hand, Jimmy Uso made a surprise return at WWE Bad Blood 2024 to take them out.
Roman speared Solo to win the match. After the match, Roman and Jimmy embraced, while The Bloodline tried to attack Cody. Jimmy, however, convinced Roman to keep his word and honor the alliance. To cap off the night, “The Final Boss” Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson made his long-awaited return at WWE Bad Blood 2024, signaling a countdown, hinting that he’s back to finish some unfinished business.
Final Thoughts
Overall, WWE Bad Blood 2024 was a mix of highs and lows. After the fantastic Hell in a Cell match between Punk and McIntyre, many of the other matches didn’t quite live up to expectations. However, the return of The Rock made the main event feel special. Also, off-camera, Kevin Owens turned on Cody, signaling the beginning of some major storylines heading into Crown Jewel and Survivor Series after WWE Bad Blood 2024.
