WWE SmackDown Predictions: Shinsuke Nakamura Back in Action

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Shinsuke Nakamura is back in action on this week’s WWE SmackDown. Photo by WWE’s Twitter

As WWE SmackDown takes us into Hell in a Cell this Sunday, United States Champion Shinsuke Nakamura returns to action against Jeff Hardy. Here’s our predictions for tonight’s show.

With less than a week to go before Hell in a Cell, WWE SmackDown gets one last chance to put its best foot forward. Many of the more compelling stories heading into the pay per view come from Team Blue. Between the deeply personal feud between AJ Styles and Samoa Joe, and the familial battle between Daniel Bryan, Brie Bella, The Miz, and Maryse, it’s a great time for SmackDown.

Of course, it’s not all roses on Tuesday nights. The United States Champion, Shinsuke Nakamura has all but vanished since SummerSlam, although he’s returning to action tonight. And the injury Erick Rowan suffered at SummerSlam has put a damper on one of the top tag teams on WWE SmackDown.

But enough negativity — let’s jump into some predictions for the final episode of WWE SmackDown before Hell in a Cell.

United States of Nakamerica

One of the announced matches for the Sept. 11 episode of SmackDown is a rematch from SummerSlam, pitting Jeff Hardy against Shinsuke Nakamura. The King of Strong Style has been largely absent from television since retaining the United States Championship against Hardy. But this barnburner will kick off the show tonight, as Hardy looks to “cleanse his soul” before entering Hell in a Cell against Randy Orton.

Even though Nakamura is the US Champ, this match screams “HARDY IS THE MOST IMPORTANT PERSON IN THE RING.” It’s a time-honored tradition in WWE, where the champion just kind of shows up to make his opponent seem more important before another, bigger match. And with Randy Orton lurking before Hell in a Cell, the odds of this being a clean match are slim to none.

I’d expect Nakamura to get a tainted victory, if only to raise questions about whether Hardy is really ready for Sunday. And Orton will most likely get involved, and I will weep.