For the first time in 20 years, the Bad Blood premium live event is back in the WWE. Live from the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, GA on October 5 and headlined by the notorious Hell in a Cell match, the now textbook five-match card features two title matches. Here’s a brief rundown of the card featuring predictions from myself, Max Crider, Dacota Haynes and Shane Davis.
Hell in a Cell match: Drew McIntyre vs. CM Punk
The most red-hot rivalry of the year in the WWE will see a fitting culmination: Hell in a Cell. Back in January, CM Punk’s WrestleMania hopes were dashed when Drew McIntyre injured him in the Royal Rumble match. McIntyre would later say he prayed for an injury like this for Punk, making sure the 45-year-old couldn’t steal the spotlight he’d turned down for the last decade.
And CM Punk has been hellbent on his revenge ever since. He cost McIntyre the world title at WrestleMania 40. He ruined McIntyre’s rematch in his own hometown. He spoiled McIntyre’s Money in the Bank cash-in.
Then the two finally clashed at SummerSlam, McIntyre winning after a distraction there, before Punk got his revenge in a strap match at Bash in Berlin.
Hell in a Cell is the only way that this rivalry can end, and should personally be the match of the night with the 9 months of buildup it’s had.
Jayden: Punk wins
Max: Punk wins
Dacota: Punk wins
Shane: Punk wins
WWE Women’s Championship match: Nia Jax (c) vs. Bayley
It’s been 60 days since Nia Jax dethroned Bayley at SummerSlam to become the WWE Women’s Champion. And Bayley has been obsessed with regaining it ever since. Her friendship with Naomi has helped her combat the two-woman power trip of Jax and Miss Money in the Bank Tiffany Stratton.
After an iffy result to a number one contender’s match which saw both Naomi and Bayley pin the women’s champion, Bayley defeated Naomi to officially qualify for Bad Blood. There’s a lot of moving pieces in this match. Could Tiffany Stratton cash-in? Will a jealous Naomi cost her friend the title she’s been seeking?
Jayden: Nia retains
Max: Nia retains, then Stratton cashes in and wins
Dacota: Bayley wins, then Stratton cashes in and wins
Shane: Nia retains, then either Stratton cashes in or Charlotte Flair returns
Damian Priest vs Finn Balor
The implosion of The Judgment Day at SummerSlam has had a lasting impact on much of Monday Night Raw since then. Damian Priest is finally going to get his one-on-one match with the man that cost him everything.
But honestly, the build to it has been a bit repetitive. The Judgment Day routinely plays the numbers game, and honestly Balor hasn’t done too much of the damage himself. With the stipulation just being a normal match, I wouldn’t be surprised to see The Judgment Day make an appearance here as well. This might be the hardest match to call on the card.
Jayden: Priest wins
Max: Priest wins
Dacota: Balor wins
Shane: Balor wins
Women’s World Championship match: Liv Morgan (c) vs. Rhea Ripley
Speaking of Judgment Day shenanigans, they’ve been the most present in the Liv Morgan and Rhea Ripley rivalry.
The self-titled Liv Morgan Revenge Tour has seen Morgan claim the title that she forced Ripley to vacate, take the heart of Dominik Mysterio, and ultimately take the Judgment Day as a whole. But throughout this build, Rhea has had the upper hand when Liv doesn’t have numbers in her favor.
And that’ll be put to the test as Dirty Dom will be suspended in a shark cage above the ring. But it still feels like Liv Morgan will have a trick or two up her sleeve to even the odds against Ripley.
Jayden: Liv retains
Max: Liv retains
Dacota: Liv retains
Shane: Liv retains
Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes vs. The Bloodline (Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu)
In something that the wrestling world would’ve never predicted just six months ago, Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes finds himself teaming with the man he beat for the belt, Roman Reigns.
Reigns is going through some family drama as the former enforcer Solo Sikoa has crowned himself the new Tribal Chief and has replaced the Bloodline entirely. From exiling the Wiseman Paul Heyman, to brutalizing Jimmy Uso. The Bloodline as Roman Reigns left it is nowhere to be found.
And they’ve been tormenting Cody Rhodes throughout the new realm, with Sikoa unsuccessfully challenging Rhodes for the title on a few occasions. So this unlikely duo finds themselves in a “the enemy of my enemy is my friend” scenario, one that Rhodes has done before by teaming with Seth Rollins at WrestleMania 40.
But this time it’s different. Roman Reigns isn’t the average heel. He tormented challenger after challenger for four years alongside his version of the Bloodline. So the company’s top babyface aligning with the “OTC” will certainly ruffle some feathers.
Jayden: The Bloodline wins
Max: Cody and Roman win
Dacota: The Bloodline wins
Shane: Cody and Roman win
Bad Blood will air live on Peacock at 6:30 PM on Saturday, October 5. Who’s your picks to walk out of Atlanta victorious?
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