WWE recently announced the return of the Bad Blood brand for a PLE to occur this October from Atlanta. The first one—formally titled In Your House: Badd Blood—occurred in 1997, featuring the first ever Hell in a Cell match between The Undertaker and Shawn Michaels, culminating in the debut of Kane. The show returned in 2003 and 2004, headlined by Triple H working Hell in a Cell matches first with Kevin Nash, then Michaels.
After twenty years, Bad Blood is back. There’s no guarantee we’ll see the Cell, but it does feel like a natural choice given the history of the event. Moreover, WWE’s been building precisely the kind of feud that would warrant a big-time Hell in a Cell main event: CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre.
CM Punk Vs. Drew McIntyre Is The Hottest Feud In WWE
CM Punk’s return to WWE was one of the biggest stories in wrestling at the turn of the year. There was a real risk of it fizzling just as it got started, though, as Punk went down to injury in his first televised match back—the men’s Royal Rumble—and had to miss WrestleMania.
WWE pivoted very nicely as Drew McIntyre took credit for the injury. The months to follow saw Punk three times directly cost McIntyre the World Heavyweight Championship--at WrestleMania, Clash at the Castle, and Money in the Bank--in addition the Scotsman beating Punk bloody on an episode of SmackDown.
This intense series of events, paired with the promo skills put on display by both participants have elevated this feud. Against the odds, it’s the hottest issue in WWE without the men involved working a single match together (aside from the Rumble).
Patience Has Been A Virtue In CM Punk Vs. Drew McIntyre Storytelling
While CM Punk’s injury has protected against rushing the CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre feud too much, WWE has also been shrewd in its storytelling. Punk and McIntyre have never entirely taken their eyes off each other even as McIntyre has engaged in other pursuits like chasing Seth Rollins and Damian Priest for the World Heavyweight Championship. Moreover, they’ve built in some pacing like McIntyre pretending to quit the company, then getting suspended coming out of Money in the Bank.
Given the pace to date, it feels realistic WWE can carry forward without a match between these two until SummerSlam or later and, in any event, the pairing should still feel fresh enough to be a draw headlining Bad Blood.
The Promise And Pitfalls Of Adding Seth Rollins To The Mix
Seth Rollins vs. CM Punk looked like the clear direction for WrestleMania 40 before Punk went down to injury. WWE has nicely reignited the on-screen heat between them when Punk got in the middle of The Visionary’s business at Money in the Bank, going after Drew McIntyre.
Might WWE add Rollins more formally into the mix, including making this prospective Hell in a Cell showdown a triple threat? There are merits to the idea.
After all, one of the biggest questions surrounding Punk right now is his ability to deliver in a big match scenario. He looked a little sluggish in the Royal Rumble and got injured again, following an AEW run that was riddled with major injuries at all the worst times. If there’s anyone on the current WWE roster who can singlehandedly elevate match quality, it would have to be Rollins. The Visionary could enhance the existing match or be a key contributor if Punk were to get hurt and necessitate a change in plans on the fly.
On the other hand, Punk vs. McIntyre is hot enough that it’s more than worthy of its own epic blow off. Transitioning Punk into a feud focused on Rollins after he finishes his business with McIntyre makes all the sense in the world. As such, Rollins having some involvement with the finish or immediate aftermath of this match makes sense, but it may not be the best call to officially add him.
Alternatives Or Additions To CM Punk Vs. Drew McIntyre In Hell In A Cell
On a literal level, it’s overstating it to say CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre is the only match that could close Bad Blood 2024. It may well be the best choice, but world championships also offer obvious options. Cody Rhodes vs. Solo Sikoa probably isn’t going to be a “one and done” title program and could bleed into October. Meanwhile, Gunther awaits his World Heavyweight Championship opportunity at SummerSlam and however things play out between him and (presumably) Damian Priest may dictate a feud that could warrant the Cell, too.
Perhaps the most intriguing option of all would be to put Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan in the Cell. Their storyline and involvement with Dominik Mysterio has been a focal point of Raw for months now, culminating in a major moment when The Eradicator returned to close the July 8 episode of Raw. Ripley and Morgan have the talent and the heat behind their feud that they could also justify this kind of spotlight—especially if the current or a future injury were to prevent Punk from headlining the show.
In the end, WWE reviving the Bad Blood brand is doing exactly what it should in tapping into nostalgia and creating buzz. One of WWE’s most buzzworthy feuds should get the chance to headline the show.
