The September 16 edition of WWE Raw made Bad Blood feel bigger than ever a few weeks before the premium live event on October 5.

CM Punk delivered his best promo since returning to WWE, promising blood in his battle with Drew McIntyre inside Hell in a Cell.

The Judgment Day dominated the night, retaining the WWE World Tag Team Championships in a challenge from The New Day and standing tall once more over Rhea Ripley and Damian Priest to close the show.

Ludwig Kaiser cut a strong pair of promos on Sami Zayn, standing out from the shadow of Gunther. He set the stage for a great match with the Canadian next week.

Bronson Reed and Braun Strowman continued their war of monsters, knocking off the ring ropes and throwing a fan as a weapon. The escalation stands out among the rest of the product.

Bianca Belair and Iyo Sky had the match of the night, reminding fans why both are former women's world champions.

The red brand delivered one of its best episodes of the year that furthered every major story on Raw.

WWE Must Let CM Punk and Drew McIntyre Get Violent in Hell in a Cell

Drew McIntyre was not on Raw this week, leaving CM Punk a chance to cut a passionate promo on his rival without interruptions.

The Best in the World talked up to his name, delivering his best work on the mic since his return to WWE.

It was clear he wanted to sell this feud with as much intensity as possible, but the mic work has sold this rivalry for a while. It will be down to the action to finish the story.

This Hell in a Cell match has been built as the most personal rivalry WWE has seen in a decade or more.

There will never be a better chance for the company to bend its rules on brutality and blood. This contest needs to deliver on what has been built up.

Punk vs. McIntyre can be the WWE match of the year and a truly standout moment in the Triple H era. It cannot reach that point without stretching the rules on what the company has allowed in terms of violence over the years.

Xavier Woods' Final Chance for a Solo Run is Approaching

Xavier Woods is on the verge of walking out on Kofi Kingston. This was an impossible option just a few years back, but much has changed for The New Day.

Big E's spine injury in 2022 has likely ended his career. Beyond a brief NXT Tag Team Championships reign, Kingston and Woods have not had much success without their teammate.

A year of struggles has bubbled up into what could be the definitive end of The New Day.

In 10 years as a stable, they have avoided breakups at every turn. Perhaps WWE can maneuver around Woods truly turning heel on Kofi, but this is a rare opportunity to push the group's most underrated performer.

Woods is a talented veteran who got his first real break with The New Day. Because of this, he has never been allowed to work on his own merit.

Even his King of the Ring victory in 2021 came off as a lifetime achievement award where the 38-year-old still stood in Kingston's shadow.

It's time to let Woods show what he can do on his own. Much like Jey Uso, he could break out with this opportunity to finally be a solo act, but 2025 is likely his last chance to truly define his career.

Bronson Reed vs. Braun Strowman Feud Stealing the Show

WWE often repeats stories, making even great rivalries appear overly familiar.

Bronson Reed vs. Braun Strowman may not be completely original, but it feels entirely fresh. Two monster heavyweights are destroying everything in their path to fight each other.

It makes for consistently fun television that echoes the best era of The Monster Among Men's career when he was ready to destroy ambulances to get at Roman Reigns.

Mr. Nice Guy should remain unstoppable for a while, but if Strowman can physically match his level of brutality outside the ring, it can extend this story over another month or more until Seth Rollins can return for revenge on Reed.

Ludwig Kaiser is on Brink of a Major Breakout

Ludwig Kaiser may be the most underrated wrestler in WWE. His role backing up Gunther means personal opportunities have come slowly.

His rivalry with Sheamus turned heads, and his promo work has turned even more in recent weeks. He brought the heat on Sami Zayn, almost selling himself as a bigger threat to Zayn than The Ring General.

This week, Kaiser was teased that he may soon want to break away from Gunther, which could allow him to rise to solo title contention in 2025.

He is the perfect type of competitor to run with the Intercontinental Championship soon. He could even rival the work of Gunther with the title.

No one has more potential on the Raw roster that has not yet gotten the opportunity to seize it.

We Need More of Bianca Belair and Iyo Sky

Bianca Belair and Iyo Sky might be the best two women's wrestlers in WWE, but neither has gotten enough chances to prove it in the last year.

The Genius of the Sky had a solid WWE Women's Championship reign that ended with a show-stealing effort at WrestleMania 40.

Belair, meanwhile, still holds the record as the longest-reigning women's champion in WWE history. However, she has not stood out as a top star since losing the gold.

Neither woman has been denied success, but on a roster lacking clear top stars, they need to be used more at the top of the Raw card.

Their match was one of the best women's contest WWE has put on all year and was built out of almost nothing.

Belair and Jade Cargill will soon have to contend with Sky and a healthy Kairi Sane, which should be the best part of the women's tag team division.

However, that is not nearly enough for this talent. Rhea Ripley vs. Liv Morgan cannot forever be WWE's only major solo women's angle at the top of the Raw card.