WWE makes major change to upcoming premium live event - Reports
The new era of WWE is moving forward towards the end of another successful year for the company. A key part of recent growth is related to the renewed focus on premium live events. The company has made several changes, but a rumored match announcement may lead to the end of a recent fan-favorite trend.
WWE Bad Blood is the next PLE on the schedule this year. The return of Bad Blood will mark the 27th anniversary of the first-ever Hell in a Cell match, held at the inaugural Bad Blood event. With several surprises reportedly planned, WWE currently has five matches announced for the PLE taking place in Atlanta at the State Farm Arena on Saturday, October 5.
A World Heavyweight Championship bout is currently planned for Bad Blood, according to the Wrestling Observer. Gunther is scheduled to defend the title against Sami Zayn at the PLE. While the match has been teased on TV, it is not official as of this writing, but sources report that Zayn vs. Gunther is listed on the internal Bad Blood card.
Bad Blood will break the recent popular trend of five-match PLE cards if Zayn vs. Gunther happens. WWE began putting on shorter premium live events a while back, and the change seems to be a hit with fans for the most part.
The Ring General and The Great Liberator are currently tied at 1-1 in their series of televised matches. Gunther defeated Zayn on RAW in June 2023, but Sami got the win back at WrestleMania XL in April, dethroning Gunther of the Intercontinental Championship.
WWE Bad Blood updated line-up
WWE Bad Blood is returning on Saturday, October 5 at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta. The PLE will feature a Hell in a Cell match as the main event.
This will be the first Bad Blood show held since 2004. The inaugural event was held in 1997, and then the second Bad Blood took place in 2003. Below is the current lineup for October 5:
- Hell in a Cell: CM Punk vs. Drew McIntyre
- Women's World Championship Match: Liv Morgan (c) vs. Rhea Ripley
- Women's Championship Match: Nia Jax (c) vs. Bayley or Naomi
- Finn Balor vs. Damian Priest
- Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes vs. Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu
Jax's challenger will be determined on Friday's SmackDown as she teams with Tiffany Stratton to face Bayley and Naomi. If Jax and Stratton win, the opponent who loses the match for their team must leave SmackDown. If the potential challengers win, the one who secured the victory will advance to Bad Blood.