WWE Extreme Rules 2018: Grading and Ranking all the matches

#4 Shinsuke Nakamura defeats Jeff Hardy(c) for the United States Championship

A deserving victory

This was a long time coming. Ever since Nakamura turned heel, it was predicted that sooner or later he will win the WWE Championship to justify the heel turn. But, when AJ bested him for the 3rd time in a row, he moved on to other things, namely the U.S. Title.

Jeff Hardy has been struggling since winning the U.S. Championship. He couldn't take part in regular rivalries as his physical condition was deteriorating. Due to lower back issues, he had stopped using the Swanton Bomb at house shows. Thus, the title change could not have come at a better time.

Before the bell rung, Nakamura attacked Hardy and hit a low blow on him. When the match officially started, Nakamura nailed Hardy with the Kinshasa and pinned him within a minute to win the belt. His title win was a bit overshadowed by the return of Randy Orton, who proceeded to attack Hardy, thus indicating his heel turn.

All in all, an effective bout.

Grade: B-