WWE SmackDown Grades: Dysfunction Taking Over Heading Into Survivor Series

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1. Samoa Joe vs. Jeff Hardy

The SmackDown Survivor Series team will be looking to stake its claim as the best brand in the WWE.  The team started out with co-captains that can’t stand each other, but for the greater good of the blue brand, they worked to try and put together the rest of their team.

Daniel Bryan and The Miz were named co-captains of the SmackDown Survivor Series team and they had to round out the rest of the team last night.  The Miz added Shane McMahon to the team, Rey Mysterio was added after his win over Andrade Cien Almas, and the main event featuring Samoa Joe vs. Jeff Hardy would determine the final member of the team.

Bryan wanted Hardy and Miz wanted Joe, so what better way to settle it than have them face each other?  With Bryan and Miz sitting ringside on commentary, Joe and Hardy put forth a very solid match.  It always felt like Joe was going to win, but when The Charismatic Enigma lined him up for a Swanton Bomb towards the end of the match, it appeared like Hardy might pull it out.

However, Joe got his knees up and eventually locked Hardy into the Coquina Clutch to get the win.  Joe will be the final member of the blue brand team at Survivor Series, but the dysfunction within the team reared its ugly head when Joe got in the face of Bryan and Bryan began attacking him.  The Miz tried to stop him, but Bryan went after The A-Lister as well.  This is definitely something to look at heading into Survivor Series.

In terms of just Joe vs. Hardy, it was a solid match that filled the final void of the SmackDown Survivor Series team.

Final Grade: B+