Shinsuke Nakamura, WWE.com
Shinsuke Nakamura will need some worthwhile opponents if he wants to ascend through the ranks on Tuesday nights.
Although Shinsuke Nakamura came up short in his efforts to secure a guaranteed title opportunity at Money in the Bank, “The King of Strong Style” still oozes potential as he continues to work his way up the ranks on SmackDown Live.
His debut got off to an incredibly hot start, building suspense for weeks on end after his initial emergence by not competing in a match until WWE Backlash. Although he didn’t win the eponymous ladder match at Money in the Bank, he did put on a tremendous showing that even saw him secure a number of pinfall victories over United States Champion, Kevin Owens leading up to the event.
What Nakamura lacks in promo ability, he more than makes up for in charisma, showmanship and in-ring skills, and it’s that natural star quality that is going to turn this man into a future world champion – should the company allow him to do so.
In order to ensure that, Nakamura needs a number of well-placed rivalries against SmackDown’s brightest, to keep himself relevant in the eyes of the fans, and continue to boost his popularity before his inevitable rise to the top of the card.
The last thing WWE wants is for people to start booing this man because he got pushed too soon. So for now, Nakamura should get settled into his role as a midcarder and continue to justify himself as a worthy contender to the WWE Title.
With that said, a budding prospect like the so-called “Rockstar” isn’t going to impress without a compatible dance partner. Who should he face before his inevitable trek up the mountain? Let’s take a look at the best candidates.
3. Kevin Owens
While Kevin Owens still has his hands full with AJ Styles after their match at Backlash ended under shady circumstances, pro wrestling logic dictates that because Shinsuke Nakamura now holds a number of pinfall victories over Kevin Owens, he should be next in line for a WWE United States Championship match.
The fact that one of those was a clean one-on-one victory is even better, as Nakamura has already managed to do what AJ Styles could not.
Now, given the direction that Owens’ reign is going in – with him declaring himself as “The New Face of America” – it would be fitting for an actual American to topple him and essentially bring the United States Title back home where it belongs.
Still, even if Nakamura doesn’t come out of this rivalry with the strap, it could end with him looking like a million bucks. Owens has already shown a proclivity for defending his title using dirty tactics, so in the event that Nakamura is closing in on a win and Kevin Owens ends up screwing him out of the title, it could do well to paint “The Artist” as someone well capable of winning a championship.
Title win or not, Nakamura’s past victories over Kevin Owens are undeniable, and should he emerge from his feud with AJ Styles with his title reign intact, Owens should logically have to set his sights on the Japanese sensation next.
WWE.com
2. John Cena
Before we jump into this one, there’s a particular quote from last year that springs to mind as we begin to think about the prospect of John Cena vs. Shinsuke Nakamura.
As Finn Bálor was preparing to say farewell to the NXT brand ahead of the WWE Draft, openly pondering the immediate future of his career, he found himself confronted by the brand’s newest rising star in Shinsuke Nakamura.
“The King of Strong Style” had these choice words for the former NXT Champion:
"“When I was in Japan, I watched you. You became the icon of NXT. If I want to be the champion, I have to beat the icon. I have to beat you.”"
There’s no organic way to lead into a rivalry between Shinsuke Nakamura and John Cena. They have no conflicting interests, they’re both babyfaces and if memory serves, they haven’t even wrestled on the same show let alone shared a segment.
But John Cena is undoubtedly the biggest name produced by WWE over the last decade and a half, and as someone who’s expressed interest in taking on the best and brightest that any company has to offer in order to increase his own stock, Shinsuke Nakamura will most definitely be watching closely when Cena makes his return.
Cena has made a habit of putting over newcomers like Kevin Owens and AJ Styles over the last two consecutive years, and Shinsuke Nakamura would make it a trifecta if these two squared off in one of the biggest contrasts of styles we’ve ever seen.
WWE.com
1. AJ Styles
WWE took immense satisfaction from teasing us at this year’s Money in the Bank pay-per-view, with the sought-after Shinsuke Nakamura vs. AJ Styles match we’ve been clamoring for since these two men were placed on the same brand.
The two had an extraordinary match at NJPW’s Wrestle Kingdom 10, shortly before Styles’ debut in the 2016 Royal Rumble match, but to see the two re-enact that thrilling affair on the grand platform of WWE would be something truly special.
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It would be a reference to all that these two men have accomplished during their very brief tenures within WWE already, while also serving as a prologue to everything that they could still possibly achieve so far into their respective careers.
If you didn’t think that demand was high for these two to lock up under the WWE umbrella, just listen to the energy of the crowd when they finally came to blows as the last two remaining men on their feet at Money in the Bank.
Make no mistake, this match could easily headline a SmackDown-exclusive pay-per-view for the WWE Championship – or even something bigger if WWE allowed them to take precedence over the likes of John Cena and Brock Lesnar – but there’s really no reason to hold off on the match until either one of them is holding championship gold.
Instead, wouldn’t it be the best endorsement for Nakamura to finally earn his status as No. 1 contender, by ousting a former champion in “The Phenomenal One”?
Next: This Summer's Potential Breakout Stars in WWE
No match, no opponent would better showcase Shinsuke Nakamura as a worthy contender, as the two would go to the ends of the earth to weave a story better on par or even superior to the incredible matches we’ve already witnessed this year.