WWE SmackDown Highlights, Grades, Analysis For Superstar Shakeup 2018

Shelton Benjamin Is A Heel, Jeff Hardy Switches Sides

Shelton Benjamin vs. Jeff Hardy

Result: Jeff Hardy Wins With A Swanton Bomb

Shelton Benjamin came right out and said it. “I never needed Chad Gable. Chad Gable needed me.”

Benjamin and Gable never won a SmackDown Tag Team Title despite tearing down the house with the likes of The Usos, and it appears Benjamin has blamed Gable for holding him back. He says that he asked Paige to send him some “big competition” in the ring so he can prove to the WWE Universe that he is a major championship threat.

And his opponent? The United States Champion Jeff Hardy. As the commentary team stated, be careful what you wish for.

How great is it to have Jeff Hardy on SmackDown? He’s now a Grand Slam champion, and he’s here to make the United States Championship more prestigious. This match against Benjamin is a great start.

The match itself was great. I love how brutal Benjamin’s offense is, and I love the little callbacks to Hardy’s match with Jinder Mahal last night. They set up the exact same spot where Hardy hit Whisper in the Wind on Mahal, except Benjamin initially scouted it out before Hardy found a way to hit his signature move.

In the end, Hardy won, as expected, with a Swanton Bomb. This was a good start for Hardy on SmackDown Live and a good start for Benjamin in his first match as a singles competitor in his current run with WWE.

Grade: A-, loved the promo from Benjamin, the pop for Hardy, and the match itself