WWE Bad Blood: Grading all 5 matches after The Rock’s shocking return
WWE’s Bad Blood event featured the return of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Roman Reigns to the ring, and the end of CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre. And yet, there were some missteps along the way.
While all of the results made sense, the execution was poor in some matches. From botched finishes to underwhelming matches, the Bad Blood PLE was not perfect. At least the Final Boss, the Rock returned!
WWE 2024 Bad Blood full results
Below are the full results from the 2024 Bad Blood card.
CM Punk defeated Drew McIntyre in a Hell in a Cell match
Nia Jax (c) defeated Bayley to retain the WWE Women’s Championship
Damian Priest defeated Finn Bàlor
Liv Morgan (c) defeated Rhea Ripley to retain the Women’s World Championship
Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes defeated the Bloodline (Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu
CM Punk puts a definitive end to his Drew McIntyre feud (for now)
Opening the show was the Hell in a Cell match between CM Punk and Drew McIntyre. While you could argue the match should have closed the show, both men gave it their all to put on a brutal match.
Weapons were used throughout as Punk and McIntyre bloodied each other. By the end, McIntyre was sporting a true crimson mask thanks to being hit with a toolbox by Punk.
In the end, McIntyre lost the same way Punk did at SummerSlam. He let his emotions get in the way as he threw beads from the friendship bracelet Punk was chasing all over the ring. Punk shoved beads down McIntyre’s throat before delivering a GTS with a chain around his leg.
Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports.
The Hell in a Cell match was everything I expected. Punk and McIntyre had some close calls that will make you question the legitimacy of their bitterness.
And the WWE chose the right winner. McIntyre looks strong, especially with the gash he suffered on his head, and is set up for a return at the 2024 Royal Rumble.
As for Punk, he can chase new opponents. He seems destined to challenge WWE World Heavyweight Champion Gunther at some point in the coming months. He also has a feud set up with Seth “Freakin” Rollins whenever the Visionary returns.
Grade: A+
A middling WWE Women’s Championship match
If nothing else, Bayley is one of the most charismatic women the WWE has. Her WrestleMania XL win was a euphoric moment that the WWE failed to capitalize on.
Her losing the Women’s Championship to Nia Jax was fine. The rematch was a SmackDown-worthy effort that was only highlighted by its angle at the end.
Towards the end of the match, Tiffany Stratton came out with her Money in the Bank briefcase. She attacked Bayley before staring at Jax, who was laid out on the mat.
The referee seemingly thought that Stratton was trying to cash in her contract then and there. That is when Jax did the Undertaker sit up, catching Stratton like she had her hand in the cookie jar.
Tensions between the two have never been higher. Jax won the match with an emphatic Annihilator and winked at the camera. The match was fine — Jax’s in-ring improvement was on full display — but this could have been on SmackDown.
Grade: C
The Terror Twins’ mixed night
Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images.
Each of the Terror Twins (Damian Priest and Rhea Ripley) had a chance for revenge against their former Judgment Day stablemates. Priest up first against Finn Bálor.
You could argue either man should’ve won. Bálor is in deep need of legitimacy, while Priest is rebuilding himself after losing the World Heavyweight Championship.
Ultimately, it was Priest who overpowered the Judgment Day interference and won the match. Despite several Coup de Grâces to the back of Priest, Bálor could not finish the job.
Now, Priest can continue the feud up 1-0 in the rivalry. Expect the WWE to continue their story well beyond Bad Blood (perhaps into Survivor Series: War Games).
Grade: B
A botched finish
The match between Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan was the most disappointing segment of WWE Bad Blood. Even having “Dirty” Dominik Mysterio hanging over the entrance ramp in a shark cage could not salvage a horrible finish.
Unlike some of Ripley and Morgan’s other matches, which leaned into the latter being the smaller competitor compared to the intimidating Ripley, the Bad Blood match got off to a quick start.
It was a fun encounter with plenty of cool moves and reversals. Ripley and Morgan have great in-ring chemistry, hence why the WWE keeps extending their feud, and showcased that.
And then the dusty finish occurred. As Ripley attacked Mysterio, who had fallen out of the cage and was dangling like a piñata, a returning Raquel Rodriguez took her out.
Joe Camporeale-USA TODAY Sports.
On paper, it may sound fine. But in execution, it was awkward. The referee had to act like he did not see the interference. After delivering her finishing move to Ripley, she dragged Morgan on top of her for the cover. But at that point, the bell had rung, indicating a disqualification finish.
Whether Rodriguez went out too early or the referee messed up, it was a bad finish. It soured the match and prolonged the feud between Ripley and Morgan. Now, Ripley will probably have to take out Rodriguez before getting another crack at Morgan.
At this point, the feud is on its last legs. The endgame of the feud is to have Ripley reclaim the Women’s World Championship. It just seems like it will be a little longer until it happens.
Grade: D+
Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes: Can they coexist?
The “Can they coexist” trope has been entertainment for years. The WWE is no stranger to it, either, as they love to pair once-rivals together as tag teams.
Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes feuded for several years over the Undisputed WWE Championship. After Rhodes defeated Reigns at WrestleMania XL, the Original Tribal Chief went on a hiatus until SummerSlam in August.
WWE Bad Blood marked Reigns’ in-ring return as he teamed with Rhodes to take on the new Bloodline’s Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu. The match itself was fun, with Rhodes and Reigns getting beaten down for a fair amount of it.
I expected the new Bloodline to pick up the win, making them look strong. But it was Reigns and Rhodes, thanks to a returning Jimmy Uso, that pulled it out. Granted, they made Sikoa and Fatu look like a million bucks, even in a loss.
Joe Camporeale-Imagn Images.
Plus, it was great that Uso got his moment. He is often overshadowed by his brother, Jey, but he had a heartwarming moment with Reigns after the match.
The Rock’s return is the moment everyone left Bad Blood talking about. Reigns and Uso saved Rhodes from a Bloodline beatdown. As the former rivals gave each other a look of approval, the Rock’s music hit.
He stared disapprovingly as Reigns and Rhodes stared at him from the ring. Clearly, the Rock is not thrilled that they have worked together. We will see who he picks a fight with first.
Grade: A
Overall thoughts on WWE Bad Blood
The 2024 installment of the WWE’s Bad Blood was good (not great). The opening and closing matches were phenomenal, but the middle matches varied in quality.
Each match had the correct winner, but the execution left some to be desired. Morgan should have beaten Ripley with help from Rodriguez, and Jax vs. Bayley should have been on SmackDown.
Ultimately, it was a good B-level PLE as the WWE heads into Crown Jewel and Survivor Series season. November will continue building on the storylines from Bad Blood, namely the Rock’s epic return.
Fans will remember Bad Blood for its returns. Jimmy Uso and the Rock coming back during the main event gave WWE fans something to remember.
Overall show grade: B
The post WWE Bad Blood: Grading all 5 matches after The Rock’s shocking return appeared first on ClutchPoints.
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