13 Ups & 3 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (July 23)

8. Joe & Kofi Keep It Smart

Samoa Joe Kofi Kingston
WWE.com

Kofi Kingston vs. Samoa Joe could have been a problem.

With Kofi defeating the burly bruiser in a relatively ordinary match at Extreme Rules and Joe falling to Roman Reigns at the previous night's Raw Reunion, another loss would have furthered the big man's growing status as WWE's Hirooki Goto - a big-match loser. Would it have boosted Kingston? Sure, but he has already beaten Joe on pay-per-view. He doesn't have anything else to prove against him.

Fortunately, WWE took the smart route, concocting a screwy finish that made perfect sense within the context of the booking. Kofi's next PPV opponent, Randy Orton, was watching from ringside after trading barbs with the WWE Champion on the microphone. His inevitable interference led to a disqualification that keeps Joe protected, pours heat on Orton and sympathy on Kofi, and came at the conclusion of a solid, functional TV bout between two of SmackDown's top guys.

Not all f*ck finishes are created equally. This one served the story well.

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Channel Manager
Channel Manager

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.