12 Ups & 3 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (Feb 12)

8. Neon Green Battle

Jeff Hardy Kofi Kingston
WWE.com

The gauntlet match's least compelling segment was its second one, with Kofi Kingston facing off against the similarly neon Jeff Hardy.

That it's listed as an Up should tell you it was far from bad, but it definitely lacked the excitement of the Bryan bout before it, with Kingston struggling to generate the same level of fire while working beneath his veteran opponent. They did work hard, though. A handful of acrobatic moments elevated it above the headlocks and other restholds, and a well-executed conclusion saw Hardy roll through on a high cross, Kofi blocking his attempted Trouble in Paradise, then hitting the S.O.S. for his second fall of the night.

It didn't help that we cut to this part of the match for a commercial break while it was already in progress. Such things are inevitable in matches this long, but it still made for a jarring introduction. Regardless, we can't be upset by what Kingston and Hardy served up between the ropes. They did their jobs admirable.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.