5 stipulations Shinsuke Nakamura could have chosen rather than a Last Man Standing match

This week on SmackDown, Shinsuke Nakamura announced the stipulation for his upcoming match against AJ Styles at WWE Money in the Bank.

In the beginning, Shinsuke Nakamura refused to give in the stipulation, and instead named a pillow fight contest. As a result, AJ Styles sneered at the Japanese and called him the King of Soft Style.

This had infuriated Shinsuke, and he took the fight to the Phenomenal One. After hitting a Kinshasha on the floor, he counted till ten and disclosed their match as a Last Man Standing Match.

Given the way their match at Backlash had ended, it was an inch-perfect stipulation. However, Shinsuke Nakamura could have gone ahead with better alternatives. Here are 5 stipulations Shinsuke Nakamura could have chosen other than 'Last Man Standing' match.

---

#5 TLC Match

AJ Styles won the last TLC Match for the WWE Championship

TLC is a classic match type debuted in SummerSlam 2000. The match was for the WWF Tag Team Championship involving the Dudley Boys, Hardy Boys, and the team of Edge and Christian. Edge and Christian won the match, and since then the TLC match has been used 20 times in the WWE.

Moreover, a lot of feuds circumscribing the WWE championship have been settled in a TLC Match. Two years earlier, AJ Styles retained his WWE Championship by defeating Dean Ambrose in the aforementioned match. It brought an end to the saga of matches they had had since three months.

Styles and Nakamura are in a similar position right now. If you count only their televised matches, they have faced each other four times in little below 45 days in singles competition. The fans are getting tired of them, and it's high time someone else gets the opportunity.

TLC would have been the perfect climax to end their feud. However WWE has a PPV of the said name, and they reserve the match only for that one. The TLC PPV would have lost its aura if a match of the particular type just occurred four months prior.

#4 Falls Count Anywhere match

Cody Rhodes and Rey Mysterio tore each other apart in a classic Falls Count Anywhere Match

After the pillow fight mention and before the 10-count of Nakamura, something else happened. Styles and Nakamura took the fight to the crowd. While they did beat each other down outside the ring on multiple occasions, they never went inside the WWE crowd.

Then, why didn't WWE take that route? WWE only chooses this match type when they think one or both of the superstars are sufficiently "over" the crowd.

Breaking Point 2009 saw one of the best Falls Count Anywhere Match where the only way to win the match was by submission. The match took its course in the crowd for most of the time with the fans cheering the newly reunited DX.

However, the Legacy would win the match after applying a figure four and a sleeper hold to Shawn Michaels on a ring post.

AJ Styles is one of the biggest baby-faces of the WWE, and Nakamura is one of the most wicked heels in the WWE right now. They could certainly use better innovative tricks and give the fans in attendance a night never to forget.

#3 "I Quit" match

Randy Orton and John Cena battled each other in one of the better "I Quit" matches

Losing an "I Quit" is one of the most humiliating moments in a wrestler's career. You don't lose by submission, rather you refuse to compete further.

The match debuted at WrestleMania 11 with Bret Hart and Bob Backlund as the competitors. While it may go down in history as the worst "I Quit" match ever, it had sown the seeds for future captivating match types.

A very few people would know that the Japanese Rockstar has a 3-1 record in MMA, winning all those three matches by submission. If Shinsuke Nakamura wants to prove to the world that he is better than the 'Phenomenal One', there is no better way than making him say those two magical words.

However, there is a major drawback in this match type. The usual psychology in this match is the heel using nasty tricks to win, and the babyface displaying a tremendous amount of resiliency.

If AJ Styles got the opportunity to pick up the match type, it would have suited perfectly. But, as that wasn't the case, it is better the idea was put to rest.

#2 3 Stages of Hell match

John Cena defeated Ryback in the last 'Three Stages of Hell' match

The 3 Stages of Hell Match is one of the most brutal match types in the WWE. Debuted way back in No Way Out 2001, it featured Triple H and Stone Cold destroying each other in order to satisfy their bloodlust.

Since then, the 3 Stage of Hell match has only been used four times with the last one taking place at Payback 2013.

The feud between AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura has been shaped in a similar way to those of the aforementioned match participants. They cannot look eye-to-eye and will demolish each other if the opportunity arises.

Nakamura could have announced a 3 Stages of Hell Match to quench his insatiable blood lust. The first fall would have been decided in a Standard Match, the second one in a Falls Count Anywhere Match, and the third one in an "I Quit" Match. Doesn't it effectuate the previous stipulations aswell?

#1 Iron Man match

The boyhood dream has come true!

The Iron Man match is one of the crowd's favorite match types. Numerous classics like 'Bret Hart vs Shawn Michaels at WrestleMania 12' and 'Bayley vs Sasha Banks at NXT TakeOver: Respect' have bewitched the fans in its 25-year history.

An 'Iron Man' match sets off under the same rules as any other professional wrestling bout. However, it goes to the full length of an allotted time, and each wrestler attempts to score as many pinfalls and submissions as possible.

Shinsuke Nakamura and AJ Styles have improved a lot since their WrestleMania encounter. They would only get better with each fall. The fans wouldn't mind if they battle it out against each other for thirty minutes or one hour.

Moreover, whosoever wins the match would be extremely tired. And, that would be the perfect opportunity for the Money in the Bank winner to cash-in his briefcase.