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CM Punk Beats Drew McIntyre in Hell in a Cell at WWE Bad Blood 2024
Oct 5, 2024
In what was likely the culmination of their rivalry, CM Punk defeated Drew McIntyre in a Hell in a Cell match at WWE Bad Blood on Saturday.
After a grueling and bloody match between the Scot and the Chicago native, it appeared to be the end of the road for Punk.
After McIntyre taunted The Best in the World with a bag full of friendship-bracelet beads, which laid scattered on the mat, Punk seized the opportunity by avoiding a Claymore before shoving a handful of beads into the Scot's mouth and landing the match-ending Go to Sleep.
Saturday's match was nearly a year in the making, as Punk returned to WWE last November at Survivor Series, and it became clear shortly thereafter that McIntyre wasn't a fan of having him back in the fold.
In fact, The Scottish Warrior took great pleasure in the fact that Punk tore his triceps in the men's Royal Rumble match in January, rendering him unable to compete at WrestleMania 40.
Punk got some payback at The Show of Shows, though, by attacking the Scot after he beat Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship. That allowed Damian Priest to successfully cash in his Money in the Bank contract.
In the months that followed, Punk cost McIntyre on several more occasions, including posing as a referee during a world title match between the Scot and Priest at Clash in the Castle in McIntyre's home country.
Rather than counting to three, Punk hit McIntyre with a low blow, which led directly to Priest retaining.
Just about one month later, McIntyre won the men's Money in the Bank ladder match and attempted to cash it in that same night during a world title match between Priest and Rollins, but Punk foiled him again.
Along the way, McIntyre viciously attacked Punk on an episode of SmackDown, leaving him a bloody mess and stealing the sentimental bracelet that bears the name of his wife and dog.
That bracelet became an important symbol in their feud, and it even distracted Punk at SummerSlam to the point that it allowed McIntyre to beat him in their first one-on-one match against each other.
Punk got his rematch at Bash in Berlin in a strap match and he won fairly decisively, so he expressed his desire to move on and pursue a world title.
McIntyre had other ideas, though, as he again attacked Punk and destroyed his bracelet and sent him away in an ambulance.
Given the clear hatred between Punk and McIntyre, Raw general manager Adam Pearce decided the only way for them to truly settle their differences was inside Hell in a Cell.
With Punk getting his second consecutive win over McIntyre on Saturday, he is likely in a position where he can put McIntyre in the rear-view mirror and pursue championship opportunities.
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Updated 2024 WWE Bad Blood Card and Predictions for Match Order
Oct 4, 2024
BERLIN, GERMANY - AUGUST 31: Drew McIntyre (R) connects with a punch against CM Punk during their strap match at the WWE Bash in Berlin Premium Live Event at Uber Arena on August 31, 2024 in Berlin, Germany. (Photo by WWE/Getty Images)
Some of the biggest rivalries in professional wrestling will come to a head Saturday when WWE Bad Blood emanates from State Farm Arena in Atlanta.
Bad Blood will mark the return of the Hell in a Cell match, and it will involve two fitting combatants in CM Punk and Drew McIntyre, who have been at odds for nearly a year.
Also, arguably WWE's two top stars will put their issues aside, as Roman Reigns and undisputed WWE champion Cody Rhodes team up against a common enemy in The Bloodline.
The following is a rundown of the entire Bad Blood card, complete with a closer look at some of the top matches fans won't want to miss.
Where: State Farm Arena in Atlanta
When: Saturday, Oct. 5 at 6 p.m. ET
Watch: Peacock
WWE Bad Blood Card and Projected Match Order
Hell in a Cell: CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre
WWE Women's Championship: Nia Jax (c) vs. Bayley
Damian Priest vs. Finn Bálor
Women's World Championship (w/ Dominik Mysterio in Shark Cage): Liv Morgan (c) vs. Rhea Ripley
Roman Reigns & Cody Rhodes vs. Solo Sikoa & Jacob Fatu
Top Bad Blood Matches to Watch
CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre
After splitting their first two bouts against each other at SummerSlam and Bash in Berlin, the rubber match between CM Punk and Drew McIntyre is slated for Bad Blood.
McIntyre has been one of Punk's main adversaries since he returned to WWE last November, and he was the first one to revel in the fact that Punk got injured in the Royal Rumble match, which kept him off the WrestleMania card.
Despite that, Punk ended up costing McIntyre the World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania, and they have been at each other's throats ever since.
Few rivalries in wrestling have come across as personal as the one between Punk and McIntyre over the past several years, so it is only fitting that they will settle the score in one of the most dangerous and brutal match types ever conceived.
When it was first created Hell in a Cell was meant to bring a decisive end to blood feuds, and while WWE got away from that for quite some time, Punk vs. McIntyre is precisely the type of match Hell in a Cell is supposed to be attached to.
Both Punk and McIntyre figure to go to great lengths to beat each other, and given that WWE has seemingly loosened some restrictions under the leadership of Triple H, Hell in a Cell could be a bloody and unsettling affair.
Punk and McIntyre may not end up in the main event spot at Bad Blood, but it is difficult to envision any other match overshadowing their performance.
Roman Reigns & Cody Rhodes vs. Solo Sikoa & Jacob Fatu
For the first time since dropping the WWE Championship to Cody Rhodes in the main event of WrestleMania 40 back in April, Roman Reigns will return to in-ring action at Bad Blood.
Reigns made his initial return at SummerSlam by helping Rhodes beat Solo Sikoa in a WWE Championship match, apparently in retaliation for Solo's hostile takeover of The Bloodline.
Sikoa, Jacob Fatu, Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa later put Reigns on the shelf by attacking him, but the OTC returned again on a recent episode of SmackDown, helping Cody fight off The Bloodline.
Reigns and Rhodes entered into an unlikely alliance to battle The Bloodline, leading to the tag team match becoming official for Bad Blood.
While Reigns and Rhodes have a common enemy, they aren't necessarily on the same page, and there is little doubt that Roman wants an opportunity to win back the world title he held for over 1,300 days at some point.
That means Reigns and Rhodes could potentially turn on each other during Saturday's match, and that uncertainty adds a great deal of intrigue to the likely Bad Blood main event.
Liv Morgan vs. Rhea Ripley
One of the longest-running and most personal feuds in the WWE women's division in recent memory will have another key chapter written Saturday at Bad Blood.
For the second time since SummerSlam, Liv Morgan will put the Women's World Championship on the line against Rhea Ripley, although there will be a catch this time around.
Given that Dominik Mysterio interfered at SummerSlam and has interfered in essentially all of Liv's matches since then, he will be locked inside a shark cage so he cannot get involved at Bad Blood.
Of course, that doesn't mean other Judgment Day members can't help Morgan, nor does it mean that Damian Priest can't lend his Terror Twins teammate in Rhea a helping hand.
Also, given Dirty Dom's status as a slimy heel, he may have something devious and unique up his sleeve, such as a foreign object he can slip to Liv.
With so many moving parts, Morgan vs. Ripley is a highly unpredictable match, and one that could be a catalyst for their feud to continue for many months to come.
Even if Morgan comes out on top, it is difficult to imagine Ripley ceasing her pursuit of revenge and the women's world title.
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WWE Must Keep Seth Rollins Away From CM Punk
Chris Roling
Oct 3, 2024
CLEVELAND, OHIO - AUGUST 03: CM Punk and Seth Rollins having words during SummerSlam at Cleveland Browns Stadium on August 3, 2024 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by WWE/Getty Images)
Seth Rollins made his anticipated return to WWE this week and fans have rightfully wondered just how long it will take him to link up with CM Punk for a feud.
And if WWE is smart, it won't happen for a long time.
Rollins-Punk, courtesy of the apparent real-life drama between the two (based on Rollins interviews, etc.) and the obvious future-planning reactions from The Visionary upon The Best in the World's return to WWE, is one of the most-anticipated feuds in modern times.
Why, then, would WWE waste it on a ho-hum upcoming slate of premium live events and not save it for WrestleMania season, right?
Fun as getting right to the feud might be and as unfortunate as they were, the injuries to both men might prove to have been a blessing in disguise.
Right now, both walk different paths and require different things, anyway. Punk is only recently back from injury and still smack in the middle of a feud with Drew McIntyre that, frankly, has been the hottest rivalry in pro wrestling for a long time.
Once that ends, likely at Bad Blood on Saturday, it might be a little overdoing it to have him immediately jump into another blood feud with a hated rival.
Instead, it might make more sense to see a little more in-ring action from Punk on weekly broadcasts, perhaps like he did in All Elite Wrestling while putting over the next generation of stars. That gives WWE time to properly tell the simmering story with Rollins in measured, perhaps almost Bloodline-style beats.
Fans might argue against this path because of his recent injury history and how it might put a possible 'Mania match in harm's way. But safe, quick-hitting matches that keep him in ring shape and keep fans tuning in to weekly broadcasts feel important, too.
On the Rollins front, he's only just back off injury this week and needs to get after Bronson Reed for at least a little while. And while he's at it, he desperately needs a subtle character tweak, perhaps to something a little more serious and sinister.
With how things have developed for both guys since The Best in the World's return to WWE, the on-paper matchup of Punk vs. the cackling, almost-goofy Rollins just wouldn't create all that compelling of a dynamic.
Part of why fans ended up with Rollins oversaturation and fatigue over the years is that spiraling character arc that has felt a little rudderless. If he's going to be in a big personal feud, there needs to be some movement before it gets going.
A Rollins who is sick and tired of having a broken-down body and needs to go to some dark places to conquer a monster like Reed? That's super-compelling before he heads into a feud with a man he appears to legitimately dislike.
It also might be worth wondering if the inevitable feud doesn't deserve a top title at stake, too. That appeared to be a possible plan before last year's 'Mania when Punk got hurt. He's certainly suggested as much.
With Cody Rhodes' belt wrapped up in the Bloodline-Roman Reigns-The Rock drama until at least WrestleMania 41, that leaves Gunther's world heavyweight title as the target. Actually getting the belt off him in a reasonable way would take time, though.
Even if WWE doesn't go that route—and a feud this big doesn't need a title—the clash deserves the 'Mania main event treatment. The fact that both guys have yet to technically close the show at the biggest pro wrestling event in history is straight-up part of the angle the company should do.
Like it or not, WWE heads for what sort of feels like an "offseason" in the coming months, anyway. Getting the feud started with a match at Crown Jewel or Survivor Series: WarGames in November just wouldn't feel right. The Royal Rumble might make more sense, but by then, it's February, and that match itself could be the catalyst that sparks the 'Mania feud in some way.
The overarching landscape of WWE drives this a bit. Rollins-Punk getting delayed by a year keeps them out of the massive storylines such as the Bloodline and provides something meaningful to do in one swoop.
That might not gratify some segments of fans in these days of instant gratification, but it's worth remembering that some of the best possible things in the Triple H golden era have taken their time and avoided instant payouts.
Punk and Rollins will lock up in an unforgettable feud, but there's no sense rushing it.
Trick Williams Beats Ethan Page to Win NXT Title; CM Punk Attacks Page After Match
Oct 2, 2024
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA - JUNE 9: Sexyy Red celebrates with Trick Williams during NXT Battleground at UFC APEX on June 9, 2024 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by WWE/Getty Images)
Trick Williams defeated Ethan Page on the premiere episode of WWE NXT on The CW on Tuesday to win the NXT Championship for a second time.
Page was unable to put Williams down with the Go To Sleep in front of special referee CM Punk, and the champion never seemed to mentally recover.
Williams countered out of an attempted Ego's Edge and wound up in the corner thanks to a small assist from Punk. As Page was running toward the turnbuckle, Williams ducked out of the way and came off the ropes to land the Trick Shot for the victory.
Page made a surprise NXT debut back in May, immediately targeting Williams and the NXT title. While he lost a championship match against Williams in his first NXT match, Page made good on his second opportunity, winning a Fatal 4-Way match against Williams, Je'Von Evans and Shawn Spears at Heatwave in July to become champion.
Williams made his desire to win back the NXT Championship known, but he got sidetracked on his path to redemption by Pete Dunne, who returned to NXT amid his run on the WWE main roster.
Trick initially sought advice from Dunne since he enjoyed success in NXT in past years, but the former WWE United Kingdom and NXT tag team champion had no interest in helping him out.
Williams served as the special guest referee for the NXT Championship match between Page and TNA star Joe Hendry at No Mercy last month, which All Ego won to retain the title.
Afterward, Dunne appeared, pulled Williams out of the ring and attacked him as No Mercy went off the air.
In retaliation, Williams created a diss track focused on Dunne that went viral. It got under the skin of The Bruiserweight since Williams referred to him by the name "Butch," which Dunne went by during his time in the Brawling Brutes.
Williams and Dunne looked to settle the score in a grudge match on the Sept. 3 episode of NXT, but they put each through the announce table, resulting in a double count-out.
In hopes of allowing them to settle the score, NXT general manager Ava booked a rematch for the following week, and she added some major stipulations.
In addition to making it a Last Man Standing match, Ava noted that the winner would go on to challenge Page for the NXT Championship on the first episode of NXT on The CW.
Williams beat Dunne and earned the right to get another crack at the title, which an opportunity he took full advantage of by beating Page on Tuesday night.
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WWE, AEW Rumors on Rey Fenix & Penta's Contracts, Bad Blood Main Event and SmackDown
Sep 27, 2024
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - AUGUST 5: CM Punk enters the ring during Monday Night RAW at CFG Bank Arena on August 5, 2024 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by WWE/Getty Images)
Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from the WWE Universe and AEW.
Contract Updates for Rey Fenix and Penta
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12WIbQ2wo-c
Amid rumors that the Lucha Bros are looking to leave AEW to sign with WWE, the contract status for both Rey Fenix and Penta has been made available.
Per Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t WrestlePurists) Penta's AEW contract is set to expire within the next two months and he is expected to sign with WWE.
Even though Penta can't officially negotiate with WWE until his deal expires, Meltzer noted WWE has made him a "competitive offer" and that sealed his decision to leave amid "frustration" with AEW.
It could be awhile before both Lucha Bros are in WWE together because Meltzer reported that "right now" AEW is expected to add roughly one year to Rey Fenix's contract to make up for time missed due to injuries.
Dave Meltzer reports that "right now" AEW is adding nearly a year of injury time onto Rey Fenix's contract:
As far as Fenix goes, right now AEW is tacking on injury time which is nearly but not quite one year. Khan made both significant offers to stay but they wouldn’t sign a… pic.twitter.com/d8Yi6F9Um8
Penta and Fenix have been with AEW since 2019 when they challenged the Young Bucks for the AAA world tag team titles at the first Double or Nothing event.
The Lucha Bros have held the AEW tag titles and trios titles, along with Pac, during their run with the promotion. They've mostly been relegated to television matches, be it as singles or as a tag team, for most of this year.
Fenix missed six months from October through April due to an undisclosed injury. He missed another month after revealing at House of Glory's Cinco de Mayo event on May 5 he wasn't medically cleared to wrestle.
WWE has been trying to find a masked successor to Rey Mysterio, who is still one of the most reliable performers in the company, for years with no success. Both Penta and Fenix are two of the best high-flying wrestlers in the world and could fill that void if either or both join the promotion.
WWE Still Debating Bad Blood Main Event
One week away from Bad Blood, WWE is going back and forth on which match is going to close the show.
Per Meltzer (h/t WrestleTalk), the plan as of right now is for the tag match featuring Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns taking on Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu to headline the premium live event.
The original plan was for the CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre Hell in a Cell match to be the main event, and there remain "people on both sides of the discussion" at the moment.
There are definitely arguments for both matches to headline the show. The Punk-McIntyre feud has been one of the best things in WWE all year. If this ends up being the blow-off match to their rivalry, it would be a perfectly fine choice for the main-event spot.
On the other hand, everything in WWE has been built around the Bloodline angle for two years running. Plus, this will be Roman's first match since losing the undisputed WWE universal title to Rhodes at WrestleMania.
The tag match also figures to further the storyline build to a possible Reigns-Fatu match at WrestleMania 41. There is also the upcoming Survivor Series: WarGames event on Nov. 2 that could end up featuring a Bloodline Civil War, especially with rumors that Jimmy Uso could be returning soon.
If you have all of that going on, not to mention Rhodes and Reigns teaming up for the first time after their memorable feud, it's hard not to argue that the tag bout is the most important match on the show.
SmackDown Expected to Be Three-Hour Show
Amid rumors earlier this week that WWE and USA were in talks to make SmackDown a three-hour show, the expectation is that will be the case starting in January.
Per Meltzer (h/t WrestleTalk), WWE is officially saying that nothing is finalized right now, but "they are likely waiting to make that announcement" until it becomes official.
WrestleVotes Radio (h/t WrestleTalk) reported on Sept. 19 that SmackDown is expected to become a three-hour show starting on Jan. 3.
Meltzer noted that financial details for the extra hour are not known and he was told "negotiations are ongoing" with the USA network at this point.
This is certainly going to be testing the limits of how much time wrestling fans are willing to commit to weekly shows. It hasn't been confirmed that Raw, which will be a two-hour show starting Oct. 7 through the end of the year, is going to remain three hours when it debuts on Netflix on Jan. 6.
Since Netflix isn't held to the same scheduling constraints that USA is, Raw could vary in length from week to week depending on how much stuff is booked for the show.
But if Raw stays at three hours with SmackDown moving to three hours, that's already six hours of programming to keep up with each week. In weeks with a standard premium live event, they will add another roughly three hours on Saturdays.
With SummerSlam going to two nights next year and WrestleMania being a two-night event, then fans could be looking at up to 14 hours of programming in a week. The third hour of Raw was a nice financial boost for WWE, but the final hour routinely drags down the overall rating.
WWE's popularity is on fire right now, but there is a risk of burning out your audience at some point. But a three-hour SmackDown will also mean more money television money, so that will outweigh any other concerns.
Listen to Ring Rust Radio for all of the hot wrestling topics. Catch the latest episode in the player below.
