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Jimmy Uso shocked the WWE Universe when he betrayed his brother, Jey Uso, at SummerSlam during the latter's Tribal Combat against Roman Reigns. This isn't the first time the Reigns-led heel faction has been in a twist. The group is fragmented now, and WWE has seemingly found a notable replacement in The Judgment Day.
The notorious group has run roughshod on Monday Night RAW and has finally struck the right chord with fans. Finn Balor, Women's World Champion Rhea Ripley, NXT North American Champion Dominik Mysterio, and Mr. Money in the Bank Damian Priest have found their footing on the red brand.
Many aspects of The Judgment Day's presentation appear similar to the most successful WWE faction in recent times — The Bloodline. Here, we look at five signs WWE has replaced Roman Reigns' The Bloodline with The Judgment Day.
#1 Dominant heel faction
The Bloodline's implosion left room for a dominant heel group. While The Judgment Day were around long before Roman Reigns' faction fell apart, they have only now arrived in their element. Each member of The Judgment Day has finally found their footing, accounting for a commendable group together.
The Bloodline's success has undoubtedly inspired WWE to invest heavily in faction-driven storylines. Bobby Lashley's alliance with The Street Profits, followed by their heel turn, indicates the creative team's plans. For now, The Judgment Day remains the most dominant group on RAW and will likely retain the position until they break up, are replaced, or both.
#2 Prevalent tension between stable members
One of the most consistent themes with The Bloodline's booking was the tension between its members. Whether it was Roman Reigns and The Usos, The Usos and Sami Zayn, or Paul Heyman and Jey Uso — there was always a looming threat of betrayal, which produced a compelling narrative.
The same can be said for The Judgment Day. Finn Balor's addition to the group was a good surprise because he added to the faction's threat. There was always going to be heat between him and Priest in the long run. However, his world title aspirations have led to evident tension with Priest ever since the latter won the Money in the Bank contract.
Priest has also indirectly cost Balor two title matches against World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins. Many in the WWE Universe wanted Balor to defeat Rollins for the world title at SummerSlam as they hoped to see a dramatic storyline where the champion and the MITB holder were in the same group. Although Balor couldn't get his hands on the gold, fans are now invested in watching how it all unfolds for The Judgment Day.
#3 Booking in big matches as top heels
Roman Reigns has been the most dominant champion in WWE for over three years. While he has undoubtedly been brilliant in his role as a top heel, he has only held the title for this long because of The Bloodline. Paul Heyman, Jey Uso, Jimmy Uso, Solo Sikoa, and Sami Zayn have helped him retain the gold on multiple occasions.
The Judgment Day seems to have taken a page from The Bloodline's playbook when it comes to winning matches. They have picked up important victories in high-profile bouts thanks to additional help from fellow faction members. For instance, Rhea Ripley has played a massive huge role in Dominik Mysterio's first singles title win and a promising run with the gold.
#4 Individual push for WWE championships
One of the best parts of the current booking decisions has seen the storyline move away from focusing on only one individual in a stable. In a welcome change, all members share the spotlight instead of being shown as mere lackeys. The Bloodline set a precedent for it recently, and we can see the effects of the same on The Judgment Day.
Finn Balor's storyline with Seth Rollins, Rhea Ripley's feud with former Women's Tag Team Champions Raquel Rodriguez and Liv Morgan, Dominik Mysterio's growth as a heel, and Damian Priest's MITB run has allowed each member of The Judgment Day to thrive.
Individual accolades added to The Bloodline's dominance across all divisions, and The Judgment Day also garnered significant attention after each member got an individual push. Additionally, the four superstars share good chemistry and work well to deliver entertaining segments and matches.
#5 Long-term booking in WWE
All the abovementioned details were instrumental in giving fans what they wanted — a compelling long-term booking. WWE fans remained invested in The Bloodline's storyline for years because of the balance between the plot and the matches. The same can be done for The Judgment Day following SummerSlam.
Balor's growing closeness with JD McDonagh on RAW is a subtle aspect of their current storyline. Rhea Ripley's focus is divided between Dominik and the conflict between Balor and Priest. Moreover, The Archer of Infamy's MITB contract thickens the plot. It will be exciting to see if The Judgment Day will meet the same fate as The Bloodline in the coming weeks.
