WWE SmackDown Results, Highlights, And Grades For December 25, 2018

Samoa Joe vs. Jeff Hardy

Samoa Joe has lost several big matches this year, including WWE Championship bouts against AJ Styles. He needs a big win to close 2018, and this is his chance against Jeff Hardy. There’s a reason why he’s been doing everything possible to get inside Hardy’s head, because he desperately needs a statement victory; this is Joe’s chance.

The match starts with Joe trying to toy with Hardy, but the smaller competitor uses his speed and starts going after Joe with venom. As much as Joe wants to win this match, this is a personal battle for Hardy, given everything Joe has said about him over these past few weeks.

I liked how Joe used the ropes on a pinfall instead of kicking out, simply because he couldn’t be bothered to use the energy to kick out. Against a guy as tireless and fearless as Hardy, you never know when you’re going to need that little extra at the end of the match.

Every time Hardy picked up an advantage in this match, Joe did his best to quickly stifle Hardy, who, as Corey Graves remarked, looked incredibly aggressive in this match due to the remarks made by Joe prior this match.

Joe started to ground Hardy, cranking the Charismatic Enigma’s neck to slowly drain his opponent’s energy. But Hardy got the crowd back in the match and started to hit his trademark comeback moves for a nearfall.

Hardy went crazy outside the ring, and who could blame him? Joe went too far with the comments he made, and he had this coming. It led to a disqualification “win” for Joe after Hardy failed to reign himself in.

However, after the bell rang signifying the finish, Joe locked in the Coquina Clutch on Hardy after Hardy started to get even more carried away, letting his guard down. Officials had to get an incensed Joe off of Hardy, and we have the makings of a great 2019 feud that should lead to a big grudge match.

Grade: B+, A solid match between these two superstars, the story-telling here was especially well-done and should lead to a big stipulation match. Joe underestimated the fire he lit under Hardy, but he did get the last laugh with the Coquina Clutch. As Rev Theory might say, this one is far from over.