WWE Bad Blood 2024: The Rock headlines a trio of returns, CM Punk and Drew McIntyre put on an instant classic

Naomi and the women’s tag team champions, Bianca Belair and Jade Cargill, kicked off Bad Blood by announcing Punk vs. McIntyre in Hell in a Cell would be the first match of the night. The cell, back to its traditional unpainted gray steel color, descended and McIntyre made his way to the ring first, drawing boos from the Atlanta crowd.

The intro graphic for McIntyre revealed that he had never won a Hell in a Cell match in his previous two tries. McIntyre also made his WWE PLE debut more than 15 years ago at Hell in a Cell 2009.

Punk, naturally, was welcomed with cheers as the crowd sang “Cult of Personality.” Punk has a 2-2 record in Hell in a Cell matches.

The match began with a long staredown between Punk and McIntyre before both men slowly walked to the center of the ring and began to exchange blows. McIntyre quickly overpowered Punk, tossing him into the corner and then outside the ring, crashing into the cell.

Outside the ring, Punk gained the upper hand by reversing an Irish whip, sending McIntyre into the side of the cell. Punk drew a loud pop from the crowd as he pulled a table and chair out from underneath the ring. As Punk went for a chair shot, McIntyre delivered a swift kick, took the chair and delivered a blow to Punk himself.

Back on top, McIntyre placed Punk’s head on the steel steps and stood on his neck. McIntyre retrieved and emptied a tool box from underneath the ring, but a recovered Punk was able to use a wrench to do damage to McIntyre’s head.

Action returned to the ring where McIntyre kicked Punk down and ripped a set of the legs off the wooden table. Punk avoided the attack and sent McIntyre throat first into the edge of the table with a drop-toe hold. Punk then continued to punish McIntyre, using the detached table legs on McIntyre’s throat and driving him twice onto the table. As Punk went to smash McIntyre’s eye into the table’s leg, the Scottish star escaped the ring.

Punk stalked McIntyre and went for a GTS finisher but McIntyre escaped again, using the side of the cage to escape the move. McIntyre then turned the tides with a Claymore Kick. McIntyre then picked up Punk and smashed him, head-first, into the cage. McIntyre kept his foot on the gas, grabbing the steel steps and smacking a bloodied Punk in the head before delivering a stomp onto Punk’s neck. The WWE microphone picked up McIntyre’s trash talk, saying he was going to end Punk’s career and his wife would leave him.

McIntyre rolled Punk back into the ring and then used a wrench to further inflict damage his rival’s forehead. McIntyre then grabbed another table as Punk lay battered in the ring. As McIntyre went for a slam, Punk wiggled out and delivered a high knee to McIntyre in the corner, Punk continued his brief flurry of offense with a double ax-handle off the top rope. As Punk went for a second, this time using the wrench, Punk was met with a suplex from McIntyre.

McIntyre went for a finishing blow with a second Claymore Kick but Punk rolled out of the ring. As McIntyre stalked to Punk, Punk grabbed the toolbox and delivered two massive blows to McIntyre’s head, busting him open badly.

Punk, now with the upper hand, hit a series of high knees and a bulldog on McIntyre before signaling for the GTS. Although McIntyre was able to escape the first GTS attempt, Punk quickly landed a second and went for the match’s first cover, however McIntyre rolled out of the ring and the crowd chanted “this is awesome.”

Punk rolled McIntyre back into the ring but was met with a Claymore Kick and McIntyre scored the first near-fall of the match more than 18 minutes into the contest. McIntyre went for another Claymore Kick but Punk stepped aside and quickly countered into a Sharpshooter. A bloodied McIntyre drew memories of Stone Cold Steve Austin vs. Bret Hart at WrestleMania 13. McIntyre was able to force a break by striking Punk’s arm with a wrench.

Both men, bloodied and back to their feet, exchanged haymakers, reversed finishers and ultimately both wound up on the mat yet again.

McIntyre was able to survive another high knee from Punk before he hit a massive suplex over the turnbuckle and through a table he previously set up outside the ring. It was an impressive show of strength from the former champion.

McIntyre twice went to lift the steel steps and drop them on Punk, but he sold a back injury, partially due to the Sharpshooter and suplex from earlier in the match. With the steps finally set up, McIntyre retrieved Punk and sent him back into the ring. As McIntyre lumbered, Punk capitalized with a GTS and a near-fall.

It was McIntyre’s turn next, as he carried Punk up the stairs and hit one of Sheamus’ finishers, White Noise, onto the steps. Punk managed to kick out and was set up for a slam by McIntyre but was able to swiftly lock in the Anaconda Vice. McIntyre went to break the hold by using the wrench again but Punk wrestled it from him and unloaded on McIntyre’s forehead.

As Punk went for the finishing blow with the wrench, McIntyre delivered a low blow and Punk was set up with his head on the steps yet again. McIntyre retreated outside the ring for a black bag, usually reserved for thumbtacks, and dumped plastic friendship bracelet beads on Punk. McIntyre went for a Claymore Kick again but Punk slipped away and McIntyre slammed his lower back into the edge of the steps.

With McIntyre incapacitated, Punk wrapped a steel chain around his knee, shoved a fistful of beads into McIntyre’s mouth and delivered a GTS to pick up the win.

CM Punk defeats Drew McIntyre in 31:21

After the match, Adam Pearce and medical personnel checked on both Punk and McIntyre. An oxygen mask was briefly placed on Punk but he ripped it off and walked to the top of the ramp. McIntyre also appeared distraught in the ring and refused to be looked at.