WWE is on the road to the upcoming Bad Blood PLE on October 5th and this week’s episode of Monday Night Raw came from Calgary, AB in Canada, the home of Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart. A few weeks after the 30th anniversary of his historic Summerslam Cage Match against his brother Owen, Bret would make his first WWE appearance since being seen at Clash At The Castle in 2022, being verbally assaulted by Gunther before Sami Zayn saved the day.
Elsewhere, it was announced that CM Punk vs Drew McIntyre part 3 will happen inside Hell In A Cell and Finn Balor had a night to remember, putting Damien Priest in hospital ahead of their match at Bad Blood. Jey Uso became the Number One Contender for the Intercontinental Championship, and Bronson Reed returned to flatten Braun Strowman.
6 Finn Balor
A breakout week for The Prince
Finn Balor was excellent for every moment on this week’s Monday Night Raw. Calling out Damien Priest for a match at Bad Blood, he then jumped his opponent alongside The Judgment Day and put him in hospital. Balor might have lost his first-ever singles match to Rey Mysterio via DQ, but he destroyed the Hall Of Famer in the process and in the aftermath.
Balor vs Priest at Bad Blood is one of those rare moments where it feels like the outcome actually matters. Finn needs it for the new look Judgment Day to feel legitimized. Damien Priest still has a point to prove when it comes to reaching the next level. It’s a difficult match to predict and it is an underdog candidate to steal the whole card in Atlanta, GA.
Finn Balor hasn’t won a singles match on a PLE card since defeating Edge in an I Quit match at Extreme Rules, October 2022.
5 Jey Uso
A date with destiny awaits for Main Event Jey Uso
Before discussing Uso winning the Fatal Four Way to earn an Intercontinental Championship match against Bron Breakker, a word for his crowd reactions. This is future world champion material. Watch how many “Yeet” signs go up at his appearance. See his shirts by the dozen in the audience. He is over with the old, young, and people of all pronouns. Jey Uso is red hot and feels undeniable in both the short and the long-term.
Raw’s Main Event was unmissable fun. Braun Strowman’s impressive showing was cut short by Bronson Reed appearing out of nowhere, launching himself from the barricade like Batman to flatten Strowman through a table. Pete Dunne scored as close a two count as it’s possible to score without winning. Ilja Dragunov was as majestic as ever but it’s Uso that prevailed. The Judgment Day has a target painted on his back but Uso vs Breakker for the Intercontinental Championship feels enormous.
Jey Uso and Bron Breakker are yet to meet in singles competition.
4 Drew McIntyre
The Scottish Warrior crosses the line. Again.
When there is no line a man won’t cross in the name of anger, he is very dangerous indeed. Drew McIntyre threatening to fight his friend, Wade Barrett, felt like a masterstroke. They feel like real-life pals, not only due to their shared heritage, but because you can’t fake that level of natural affection. Drew promising to drop Barrett if he ever got himself involved in his business again, showed McIntyre will cross any line to hurt CM Punk.
This very column gave praise to Adam Pierce a few weeks ago. His interaction with Drew here felt intense and his delivery of the news that Punk and Drew’s rubber match will be Hell In A Cell was perfect. Whether he wins or loses in Atlanta, Drew continues to be one of WWE’s biggest winners of 2024.
Drew McIntyre is 0-2 in Hell In A Cell matches, losing to Bobby Lashley and Randy Orton.
3 Bad Blood
WWE got the memo on resurrecting this PLE
It has been twenty years since Bad Blood was last on the list of upcoming WWE PLE events. The logo is uncharacteristically blood-laden for a WWE event. The Metro Boomin promo with Cody Rhodes feels cool and culturally relevant. Most importantly of all, WWE is delivering on the premise of the PLE. Some of the year’s most bitter feuds are about to be resolved on October 5th.
Rhea Ripley and Liv Morgan will run back their SummerSlam Championship match, only this time the victor will feel definitive. Finn Balor and Damien Priest spent most of the last 12 months vying for control of The Judgment Day, and we are about to find out who the better man is. CM Punk vs Drew McIntyre have pulled no punches all year and now they will take their feud all the way to Hell In A Cell. As it stands, Bad Blood is providing exactly what it’s advertising.
Bad Blood 2004 was headlined by Triple H defeating Shawn Michaels in a Hell In A Cell match.
2 Gunther
Nobody bad mouths The Hitman in Canada
There isn’t much in wrestling that’s quite as loud as Canada greeting an appearance by Bret ‘The Hitman’ Hart. Gunther cutting off Bret Hart in his home country is enough to put him in the Losers column, just because he was booed out of the building, but praise is overdue for the Austrian’s mic work lately. Whether it’s calling Priest “street trash”, challenging the legacy of Randy Orton’s family lineage, or using Bill Goldberg to antagonize Bret Hart, Gunther has been putting in the work on his verbal skills with impressive outcomes.
Bret Hart has repeatedly made disparaging comments about Goldberg over the years, as the Hitman blames him for putting an end to his career with an infamous stiff kick to the head during a match at Starrcade 99.
The need for great promos is necessary for any superstar, but he is especially going to need verbal skills now CM Punk has him in his sights. There have been some light interactions up to now but that storm is approaching quickly. Gunther yet again denied the challenge of Sami Zayn, but he can’t run forever.
1 Pure Fusion Collective
A big loss for the previously potent trio
Natalya Neidhart returned to Monday Night Raw in Calgary, AB. It’s great to see her on Raw for the first time since confirming a new WWE contract this summer, but this was her first win on the Main Roster since November of last year. Great for her, Lyra Valkyria and Zelina Vega, but this feels like a bad loss for Pure Fusion Collective.
On the surface, it’s a harmless defeat to a returning hometown hero. However, it does not help Stark, Deville and Bayszler look like a credible threat to the likes of Damage CTRL and WWE Women’s Tag Team Champions Bianca Bel Air and Jade Cargill.
- Bret Hart’s last appearance on Monday Night Raw was on July 4th, 2016.
- Making The Wyatt Sicks vs American Made feel like a PLE match with the opening montage is something to get behind.
- Bret must’ve been proud as punch at American Made being booed out of the building during their entrance.
- Gunther pulling out the Bill Goldberg card was one of the most hilarious moments in WWE TV this year.
- Bad Blood 2024 will be FInn Balor’s first singles match on a PLE since SummerSlam 2023.
- Natalya returned for her first match on Raw since losing to Kiana James on June 3rd.
- Uso’s “YEET!” is getting out of control.
- It isn’t a bird. It isn’t a plane. It’s Bronson Reed.
- Rey Mysterio has only one win since May.
- Joe Tessitore is a natural.
