Roman Reigns loses and 5 smart booking decisions

WWE Bad Blood 2024 marks the culmination of the long-running feud between CM Punk and Drew McIntyre, as well as the latest plot twist in The Bloodline saga.

Led by Punk vs. McIntyre and an unlikely tag team match between Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes against Jacob Fatu and Solo Sikoa, “Bad Blood in Atlanta” is expected to be another sellout for WWE as the company continues its series of standout pay-TV shows -Want to continue games. per views. August's bash in Berlin was the highest-grossing arena event in the company's history, while SummerSlam had its largest audience ever just weeks earlier.

Perhaps just as important, both shows delivered strong in-ring performances from start to finish and featured key storyline events like Reigns' return at SummerSlam or Punk's first singles win in a decade at the Bash in Berlin.

And bad blood? So, The Wrestling Observer Dave Meltzer (h/t Wrestling Inc) said the show sold out almost immediately and was “among the most sought-after tickets in pro wrestling history” after the secondary market “exploded.” WWE's tried-and-true formula of five-match pay-per-view cards was a success, with fewer matches but overall better value. Bad Blood should be no different.

As one of only three PPVs remaining in 2024, Bad Blood will also have many important storyline implications heading into Survivor Series and Royal Rumble seasons. Since there are only five games, booking these fights is even more important.

Here are five smart creative decisions WWE must make at Bad Blood 2024.

ForbesWWE at a crossroads with AJ Styles, Kevin Owens and potential free agentsFrom Blake Oestriecher

Finn Balor overthrows Damian Priest

Even as a former Universal and NXT Champion, Finn Balor hasn't been pushed particularly well as a single star in WWE in recent years, mostly losing to other stars slightly above him on the card.

Now he finds himself in a similar situation with Damian Priest, his former Doomsday stablemate who is now his nemesis. Priest, who has established himself well as one of Raw's top babyfaces, appears to be a bigger priority than Balor in the creative team's eyes at the moment, but there's still plenty of time for that storyline to develop.

In long-running feuds between bitter rivalries that drag on for months and result in numerous matches, the best and most logical booking is to increase the odds against the babyface. For this reason, it doesn't make much sense in Bad Blood that Priest defeated Balor without conceding a goal in their first major match. If that were to happen, where would WWE go from there? Exactly.

The best case scenario here is that Judgment Day's advantages in the numbers game get the best of Priest, with outside interference costing the former world heavyweight champion the win.

Rhea Ripley is banned from the women's world title

Liv Morgan has hosted the Women's World Championship since May's King and Queen of the Ring, and yet the time just isn't right for a title change.

Morgan's feud with Rhea Ripley is putting a strain on Raw's women's division, which is struggling to develop compelling storylines outside of their highly entertaining rivalry. With prominent names like Asuka out while Becky Lynch remains a free agent, WWE must continue Ripley vs. Morgan for the foreseeable future.

And why not? Although the feud has been going on for most of the year, it's still red-hot, and to be honest, there aren't many other options for either woman as champion right now. The best way to keep Ripley and Morgan as relevant as they are is for them to continue their rivalry.

The ultimate highlight of Ripley vs. Morgan will clearly be Ripley's big win, and with both Crown Jewel and Survivor Series not happening until next month, WWE can easily expand this rivalry by stopping Ripley's victory. Similar to Priest vs. Balor, booking the heel to win with the help of Judgment Day is a sensible booking move that could lead to another match in the near future.

Nia Jax retains the WWE Women's Championship

Nia Jax has been a dominant WWE Women's Champion on SmackDown and her biggest potential rivals are currently in the tag team division.

It's clear that Jax is being built into such an unstoppable champion to set the stage for a blockbuster match with Bianca Belair or Jade Cargill. Aside from these two stars, the SmackDown women's division really doesn't have much depth, aside from a possible return of Charlotte Flair.

However, the biggest rivalries Jax faces don't involve her Bad Blood opponent, Bayley. Instead, it feels much more like a stopgap measure before something bigger happens in the future, which will require a win for Jax at Bad Blood, where she'll enter as the overwhelming favorite.

That's how it should be. Jax has been great as SmackDown's top titleholder and there is no reason to take the title away from her until the time is right.

CM Punk wins the feud-ending Hell In A Cell match

CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre is one of those historic rivalries that can easily be revisited later, but with their Hell in a Cell match also serving as a final match, Bad Blood will almost certainly mark the end of this feud.

One could argue that both stars could use the win, but who needs it more? Consider this: Punk is in the midst of his first major rivalry in WWE in more than a decade, and the former WWE Champion is reportedly facing a possible feud for the World Heavyweight Championship with Guenther at Survivor Series.

Then it becomes clear that Punk has to win at Bad Blood. Ultimately, McIntyre was absolutely great as a heel, and having recently re-signed with WWE, his strong performances as Raw's top villain ensure he maintains a prominent role at or near the top of the roster. Furthermore, a loss at Hell in a Cell could force McIntyre to become even more vile in the coming weeks and months.

Punk, on the other hand, is the popular babyface who will likely be involved in a significant Survivor Series match and will play a significant long-term role in WrestleMania season. He needs the Bad Blood win and the momentum it gives him more than McIntyre, a formidable villain who can become a bigger villain with an “L” in Atlanta.

Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes lose to the Bloodline

Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes have formed an unlikely alliance as 2024's version of The Mega Powers, but given their long and storied history in Bad Blood, how well will they really get along?

It was originally suggested that Punk vs. McIntyre would headline Bad Blood, but the latest report says Rhodes and Reigns vs. Fatu and Sikoa will be the main event of the show instead. Therefore, it shouldn't be surprising if this game's placement on the map plays a role in the outcome of the battle.

If this Bloodline tag team match actually ends Bad Blood as expected, there will likely be a major cliffhanger at the start of the show. This could range from a shocking return like Jimmy Uso, Paul Heyman or even – gasp – The Rock to a heel turn from Kevin Owens. Regardless, the question here is: Who needs victory the most?

The answer? Fatu. Fatu, the clear star of the new-look bloodline, will be taking part in the biggest match of his young career, and given the star power on the babyface side, the easiest decision would be to let Reigns and Rhodes win comfortably.

But how about taking a risk? Fatu has been an instant success so far, and WWE needs to ride that wave, which means Reigns and Rhodes will have to suffer a rare defeat at Bad Blood – one that can easily be chalked up to protect both stars, especially with someone like Heyman or even The Rock show up in shocking ways.