What’s the story?
Shinsuke Nakamura has been added to the list of performers who will appear as a VIP signing at WWE WrestleMania Axxess. NXT performers regularly appear at Axxess to wrestle and sign autographs, however, this is the first time in the history of Axxess that an NXT performer has been listed as a VIP or Premium VIP signing.
In case you didn’t know..
Shinsuke Nakamura defends his NXT Title this Saturday against Bobby Roode, at NXT Takeover: San Antonio. Most people are expecting Nakamura to retain his NXT Title in this particular match and remain the face of NXT, however, they also expect Nakamura to leave NXT and move up to the main roster as soon as his current NXT Title reign is over.
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Nakamura is currently a two-time NXT Champion. Nakamura defeated Samoa Joe to win the NXT Championship for the first time at NXT Takeover: Brooklyn 2. However, Nakamura lost the title to Joe at NXT Takeover: Toronto in his first title defence, marking his first televised loss in NXT.
Nakamura won the title back from Joe on December 3, 2016, at a live event in Osaka, Japan.
The heart of the matter
Nakamura, Samoa Joe, Edge and Kurt Angle are the only non-roster talents listed for the VIP signings at this years’ Axxess event. However, it is very common for major Hall of Fame, or future Hall of Fame talents, to appear as VIP guests at Axxess.
In the past, the likes of Hulk Hogan, Bret Hart, Mick Foley, Shawn Michaels and others, have appeared as VIP guests. VIP and Premium VIP signings cost more than a regular WrestleMania Axxess ticket. A standard Axxess ticket will cost $55. Tickets go on sale on Saturday 4th February.
Here is the full schedule for the WrestleMania Axxess Premium and VIP sessions from WWE.com itself, including prices and times:
Premium VIP sessions $190:Thursday, March 30Randy Orton – 8 p.m.
Friday, March 31Seth Rollins – 7 p.m.
Saturday, April 1Roman Reigns – 10 a.m.AJ Styles – 1 p.m.Dean Ambrose – 3 p.m.
Sunday, April 2Kurt Angle – 8 a.m.
VIP sessions $110:Thursday, March 30Sasha Banks – 6 p.m.Enzo Amore & Big Cass – 8 p.m.
Friday, March 31Shinsuke Nakamura– 5 p.m.
Saturday, April 1Samoa Joe – 8 a.m.Nikki Bella – 10 a.m.Chris Jericho – 1 p.m.Bray Wyatt – 6 p.m.Bayley – 8 p.m.
Sunday, April 2Edge – 10 a.m.
What’s next?
This upcoming weekend in San Antonio will give us a big indication regarding Nakamura’s future in NXT. Samoa Joe is fully expected to appear in the Royal Rumble match and feature at WrestleMania, but hardly anybody has been talking about Nakamura appearing.
If Nakamura is defeated by Booby Roode at NXT Takeover, then he will certainly move up to the main roster sooner rather than later. However, a Royal Rumble appearance would probably not be the right place to debut, unless he was actually booked to win the match.
It would be counter-productive to debut on the main roster with a failure. The King of Strong Style needs to be kept and booked “strong.”
It may surprise many of you, but Shinsuke Nakamura is not a spring chicken. He’s actually 36 years old. Previously that wouldn’t have been considered old in wrestling terms, but this is the modern era, where a 39-year-old John Cena is considered to be an old timer who is winding down and in the final years of his wrestling career.
Nakamura can’t waste too much more time being the face of WWE’s feeder brand and surely needs to take his rightful place on the main roster at some point in 2017.
Sportskeeda’s take
Even though an NXT talent has never been featured as an Axxess VIP signing before, Shinsuke Nakamura is not your average NXT talent, he was a huge star before he even got to the WWE. This could just be WWE realising that Nakamura would be a very popular choice, despite not being on the main roster, and knowing he would sell-out in minutes.
However, this is WrestleMania Axxess, and EVERY VIP sell out in minutes, even the Big Show did. In addition to that, was Finn Balor not a big enough star to be a VIP signing last year?
I certainly believe that was, as was Samoa Joe, however, the WWE went the usual route with their Axxess VIP signing choices. It will be interesting to see if this is simply a change to the format or if it is actually a huge indicator that Shinsuke Nakamura will be a main roster star by WrestleMania.
Stay tuned to my podcast, “The Dirty Sheets” and follow my stories here on SportsKeeda, as we head down the ever intriguing road to WrestleMania 33.
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