Chris Roling Featured Columnist IV

WWE/ WWE appears to have a massive hit on its hands at the 2024 edition of Bad Blood when Cody Rhodes and Roman Reigns team up against The Bloodline's Solo Sikoa and Jacob Fatu.
While the begrudged truce between Rhodes and Reigns isn't popular across the board with fans, the fact that it is near-impossible to predict what actually happens and who ends up the winner does make it intriguing.
After all, the premium live event at State Farm Arena in Atlanta on Saturday could merely be the launching pad for something much bigger. That could mean a civil war-styled event in the near future, betrayals and any matter of surprise returns—if not jump-starting the build to WrestleMania 41 early.
Here are a few ways the captivating match could end on Saturday night, in no particular order.

Betrayal by a Friend

WWE/ It is easy to handwave any possible heel turns against Rhodes from friends like Kevin Owens or Randy Orton because WWE, after all, needs to fill out November's Survivor Series: WarGames.
But easy doesn't mean guaranteed.
WWE has planted some seeds on the undisputed WWE champion getting betrayed already. Owens had that little shove on him and has already hinted he's disgruntled over his alliance with Reigns. And Orton has said his piece too.
We're at a point now where, should Owens or Orton come out and turn on Rhodes mid-match, Reigns might just shrug it off and keep attacking his family business—his goals are bigger than one match.
Overarching logic also points to this. Rhodes needs something to do until Survivor Series on Nov. 30 and Orton still feels like a ticking time bomb, so perhaps Saturday lights the fuse.

Reigns Takes Back The Bloodline

WWE/ Don't discount Reigns as a heel or scheming villain just yet—he's the guy who gaslit his family for years and always found a way to win, after all.
There is a reality where, come Saturday night, fans find out he's found a way to win over members of Sikoa's Bloodline, perhaps Tama Tonga and Tonga Loa. Or perhaps he gets some help from a returning Jimmy Uso or even outside the company.
Either way, a nice swerve would be fans expecting this almost-babyface Reigns to continue for a long time with WarGames on approach, only for him to scatter Sikoa's current Bloodline and take back the ula fala.
That swerve, of course, would then have Reigns at the command of a beatdown for Rhodes. Back as The Tribal Chief, he would then lead or command his stable against Rhodes, Orton, Owens and (insert Jey Uso or Sami Zayn here) at the end of November.

Reinforcements Sway the Outcome

Michael Nagle/Bloomberg via Given that The Bloodline is involved, shenanigans are probably going to be involved, too.
We've hinted at one aspect of this already. Reigns could wind up getting help from a name like Jimmy Uso, or perhaps someone outside the company such as Hikuleo, who has been rumored as a new WWE signing, according to PWInsiderElite (h/t Wrestling Inc's Nishant Jayaram ).
Here's another fun wrinkle—perhaps the "reinforcement" is Paul Heyman, who has backroom-schemed Hikuleo to Reigns' side, or wooed over members of Sikoa's Bloodline or started to patch up the relationship with one of the Usos.
By that same token, though, The Bloodline could also get unexpected reinforcements while bolstering their own ranks yet again.
Either way, this match is going to have some outsider(s) play a big role in the outcome.

Distrust Leads to Disaster

WWE/ On paper, Reigns teaming up with Rhodes feels like one of the most overpowered tag teams in modern pro wrestling history.
On paper.
In reality, tag teams need chemistry. Even when WWE was in the tag team department over the last decade, the teams with a rapport—such as the pre-Bloodline Usos and The New Day—dominated teams that don't usually work together.
And Reigns and Rhodes are far, far worse than just not working together. They despise each other and there's a massive dose of distrust.
WWE could go with some sappy "Rhodes or Reigns takes the bullet for the inverse to save the day and they do a post-match handshake" thing, sure. But far more compelling is distrust, letting The Bloodline pick up a shock win, only to fuel the rivalry and hatred more.

Jacob Fatu Ascends During a Loss

WWE/ Scenario: Sikoa eats the pin on Saturday night. Fatu's seemingly unwavering loyalty, then, falters.
This is something WWE has already quietly been laying the groundwork for as of late.
It was already reasonable to feel like it would keep Fatu away from Reigns, lest he outshine Sikoa and spoil the appearance of the new Bloodline. Fair or not, he feels like the bigger threat to Reigns, while Sikoa is wearing ill-fitting suits and trying to be something he's not.
More recently, we even had Rhodes offer Fatu a title match. Perhaps that is a thread WWE yanks on while the wait for November faction shenanigans goes on.
This doesn't have to be as complicated as Fatu outright joining Reigns against Sikoa. But his unshakable character slowly hinting at attempting to take over The Bloodline while also getting major singles action would be super-compelling on a weekly basis.

The Rock

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