5 Reasons why Shinsuke Nakamura turned babyface on WWE SmackDown this week

#4 Is this the prelude to Shinsuke Nakamura winning the Royal Rumble match once again?

The Head of the Table is going to get a closer look at this...It's @ShinsukeN vs. @ScrapDaddyAP(??) NEXT on #SmackDown! #GauntletMatch @WWERomanReigns pic.twitter.com/gt55Iabr1t

— WWE (@WWE) January 9, 2021

So, we have established that Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Roman Reigns is going to happen at some point, now that Kevin Owens has been written off television by the company's top heel.

WAIT A MINUTE! @WWERomanReigns @WWEUsos #SmackDown #GauntletMatch @ShinsukeN pic.twitter.com/QJv5HiI42m

— WWE (@WWE) January 9, 2021

At this point, it doesn't seem like there's anybody in the WWE SmackDown roster that has the ability to take Roman Reigns down. A case could have been made for Goldberg, but as we saw on RAW Legends Night, Goldberg has a score to settle with Drew McIntyre at the Royal Rumble.

But if Shinsuke Nakamura wins the Royal Rumble and challenges Roman Reigns to a match, it could result in truly elevating the Japanese Superstar from the current position that he's in, and establish him as a main-event attraction. Fans really want to see Nakamura get his comeuppance against Roman Reigns, considering the terror that he has wrought all across the WWE SmackDown roster.

And let us not forget that Shinsuke Nakamura has won the men's Royal Rumble in the past.