Predictions for WWE Bad Blood 2024
Image Courtesy of State Farm Arena/WWE
By Dean Robbins
WWE Bad Blood is all about the most intense rivalries in the WWE universe, and yet it has not held in twenty years. Why return now? One possible answer is that there have been few other times with more raging-hot feuds at once. All matches announced thus far are the products of considerable buildup over months or even years. The premium live event (PLE) is set to take place on Saturday, October 5th at 6 pm ET at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia. It will be livestreamed on Peacock.
CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre – Prediction: Drew McIntyre
All eyes are on the baddest blood feud in WWE right now: CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre. In April, CM Punk cost Drew McIntyre the World Heavyweight Championship at Wrestlemania XL. Punk cost McIntyre that championship again in his home country of Scotland at Clash at the Castle in June.
Punk managed to stay in the spotlight in the Spring and most of the Summer in the face of a serious injury received in January’s Royal Rumble that kept his interference ringside. His match with McIntyre, which was his first one-on-one WWE match in years, at Summerslam 2024 was one of the most anticipated of the year. McIntyre would win thanks to guest referee Seth Rollins but Punk won the strap rematch at Bash in Berlin in late August.
It cannot be questioned that McIntyre has been damaged much more. Despite this, Punk has stayed extremely well-loved by the fans in part because of McIntyre’s expert whining ability. I still believe McIntyre ought to win this match and have Punk resume his stewing rivalry with Seth Rollins.
Liv Morgan vs. Rhea Ripley – Prediction: Rhea Ripley
Rhea Ripley was injured only days after defending her Women’s World Championship from Becky Lynch at Wrestlemania XL. This forced her to vacate the title which ended up soon enough in the hands of arch-rival Liv Morgan. Liv then proceeded to seduce Rhea’s now-ex boyfriend Dominik Mysterio. When Rhea returned in time for Summerslam, she faced the double humiliation of losing to Liv and learning that fellow Judgment Day members Dominik Mysterio and Finn Balor were in on it the whole time.
Damian Priest vs. Finn Balor – Prediction: Finn Balor
The Judgment Day feud still has plenty of gas in the tank and it should not end here with the Terror Twins reigning supreme on both counts. I see Finn winning.
Nia Jax vs. Naomi or Bayley – Prediction: Nia Jax
WWE Women’s Championship holder Nia Jax is set to take on either Naomi or Bayley. The two contenders gained the chance at the belt in a tornado tag match on the 9/20 episode of Friday Night Smackdown. At the time of writing, it has not been announced who will end up taking on Jax. However, in the opinion of myself and others, it should be Naomi.
Bayley was the one who Jax beat to become the champion at Summerslam in early August. They have not had a rematch on television or a PLE since but it would still feel like going backwards. Naomi is a rising megastar (even if she does have a history of botches) and deserves a shot. I am less convinced that Naomi will win on the first try. Jax has been champion for less than two months. To be fair, I did not expect Bron Breakker to lose his Intercontinental championship in less than two months. Anything could happen. Nevertheless, I am going with Nia to retain for now.
Cody Rhodes & Roman Reigns vs. The Bloodline – Prediction: Rhodes & Reigns
The biggest flaw of this rivalry may be its predictability. Ever since Roman Reigns disappeared after losing the WWE Universal Championship to Cody Rhodes and giving up active involvement in the Bloodline, a return to sort things out was inevitable. In Roman’s absence, the Bloodline has been run by Solo Sikoa who has ruled brutally and recruited three maniacs Tama Tonga, Tonga Loa, and the incredibly fearsome Jacob Fatu. Sikoa has also violently outed Roman’s former advisor Paul Heyman.
In a time for retribution and justice, it is good to find allies. To take down the evil incarnation of the Bloodline, Roman has teamed up with his former rival Rhodes. It is a classic tale. How long the partnership will last is unclear but it is hard to imagine the two biggest stars in the WWE losing in this match.
A Potential Sixth Match?
Almost every non-major WWE PLE under the leadership of Paul “Triple H” Levesque has been five matches long. However, a boy can dream and that dream (or nightmare) is one Uncle Howdy.
Bo Dallas, also known as Uncle Howdy, is the biological brother of the late Bray Wyatt who popularized a cinematic brand of horror-themed wrestling through various personas. The character of Uncle Howdy, played by Dallas, was introduced near the end of Wyatt’s life and ended up on the back burner after his tragic passing.
For months this year, WWE had teased a return of Uncle Howdy in a new stable of horror wrestlers. That tease finally came to fruition in June on an episode of Monday Night Raw where Uncle Howdy and his group the Wyatt Sicks caused havoc in a massacre at the end of the show. Their gimmick has been to go after wrestlers who betray their allies. Since then, the Wyatt Sicks have yet to appear on a PLE despite an ongoing feud with heel Chad Gable and his American Made stable in the confines of Raw.
What is a better time to give the Wyatt Sicks a big PLE match than in the month of Halloween? To be fair, the group summarily defeated American Made and have yet to establish a new feud. Nevertheless, it would be great to see Uncle Howdy take on someone like Xavier Woods who betrayed his group The New Day. If they don’t have a match, it would be a fantastic tease to have them attack the Judgment Day after one of their matches. Few groups have betrayed their family more.
