6 Ups & 3 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (Jun 12)
2. Nakamura's Latest Cheap Shot
Jeff Hardy hasn't been around a lot lately, mounting just two successful United States Championship defences since defeating Jinder Mahal in April. He has wrestled a couple of non-title bouts, but has been without a major program since vanquishing Randy Orton at Backlash. A shame, as he's over as hell, but with Jeff reportedly suffering from nerve issues at the moment, at least there's a reason.
Hardy was back on television last night, wrestling Shinsuke Nakamura with nothing but pride on the line. His diminished physical condition limited Jeff's exertion, but him and 'The King Of Strong Style' still produced a solid upper-midcard clash that delivered a satisfying conclusion for both, as Nak's latest nut-shot prompted the DQ.
Nakamura couldn't lose heading into his WWE Championship match with AJ Styles. Jeff, meanwhile, has been a fun US Champion so far, and deserves protection himself. He was used as a pawn in the main event feud here, but that's fine: he can't be made to look like a fool, but he is a secondary star.