Jeff Hardy vs Shelton Benjamin (WWE, 4-17-2018)

WWE Smackdown, Providence, RI

Before this match, Shelton Benjamin walks back his public Twitter comments about Chad Gable. He says he talked to Paige about getting big new singles opportunities, then Randy Orton comes out, but then when Orton is walking to the ring, new U.S. champion Jeff Hardy comes out, and Orton is just left in the middle, doing nothing. OK then.

Anyway, welcome to Smackdown 2008.

Shelton with a boot to the gut to start, then stomps away. Jawbreaker from Hardy, off the ropes, and Benjamin slides him on the ground under the ropes to the floor. Benjamin follows out and stalks Hardy, hitting a chop block when Jeff gets back to his feet.

Back into the ring, Shelton targeting the knee. Big forearm in the corner. Off the ropes, he delivers a running knee to Hardy’s knee. Kick your leg outta your leg. Benjamin drags Hardy back to the center of the ring and wrenches on the leg. Hardy fighting back, but Benjamin catches him going for the split legdrop, grabbing the leg in a single crab. Hardy crawling to the corner, finally flips his way out and knocks Benjamin into the turnbuckles.

Hardy struggles up, then hits a dropkick to the downed Benjamin in the corner. Hardy struggling up again, and Benjamin has time to recover and chop blocks him down once more. Benjamin keeping control, but Hardy elbows away to the gut.

Hardy counters a whip to the ropes with a clothesline. Right hands from Hardy. Hardy stumbles to the ropes on a reversed whip, can’t make it all the way, but hits a clothesline anyway. Inverted atomic drop, then the split legdrop to the dick and balls and the basement dropkick after. Cover, two.

Benjamin charges the corner, Hardy gets an elbow up and goes up for Whisper in the Wind, but gets crotched. Benjamin goes up for a back superplex, but Hardy punches him off the ropes. But before Hardy can do anything but turn around, he’s caught with a run-up knee strike from Shelton.

Benjamin going for a superplex, Hardy  knocks him down again, and hits the Whisper in the Wind. Cover, two. Hardy up and still limping around. Hardy goes for Twist of Fate, Benjamin counters with a spinning heel kick to the jaw for two. Benjamin up and waiting for Hardy to rise, goes for paydirt, mule kick from Hardy. Jeff goes for Hardiac Arrest, but gets kicked away.

Twist of Fate hits! Jeff up top — swanton bomb! 1, 2, 3, Jeff retains his U.S. title.

Rating: 3.5/5. I liked this more on the rewatch than I did live, when I liked it fine. Shelton showed a lot here and it could be mad fun to have him back in the mix on the Smackdown midcard, and Hardy has come back firing with good matches against Jinder Mahal and Shelton on back-to-back nights.