WWE SmackDown Live remains in limbo, and Shinsuke Nakamura may be their only hope. But not in the way that they think…
Hell in a Cell will see Shinsuke Nakamura get his second shot at Jinder Mahal’s WWE Championship. Many of us hope to see ‘The King of Strong Style’ walk out victorious, but we have to be careful what we wish for.
True Nakamura fans will be wary of the situation Shinsuke is walking into, as SmackDown struggles to redefine its identity. Jinder Mahal has made a reasonable scapegoat for the brand’s woes as of late, but putting the belt on Shinsuke won’t change things completely. WWE need a concrete plan for the Japanese Superstar going forward. I fear however, that they may already be out of ideas.
I am not an advocate for the ‘he’s not working, flip him’ mentality. Character consistency is key to crafting long-term storylines, but Nakamura has not been a game-changing babyface. The ‘fighting spirit’ that elevates so many Japanese wrestlers isn’t as prevalent in WWE, and Nakamura is in trouble of looking like so many other current good-guys: all style, no substance.
Nakamura deserves a better fate, so he should take the heel route. Here’s why…
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