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When WWE announced in January 2016 that one of the biggest wrestlers of Japan, Shinsuke Nakamura, had signed with the promotion, the internet went ballistics and began imagining all the dream matches he could have with the likes of AJ Styles, John Cena and Daniel Bryan. His subsequent run in NXT reaffirmed this belief as he produced quality matches in succession with Sami Zayn, Samoa Joe and Bobby Roode.
However, Nakamura's main roster run, which began in April 2017, has been nothing more than a cautionary tale for the hardcore fans as well as the NXT wrestlers who aspire to make it big in the main roster. Despite having all the necessary ingredients for super-stardom, Nakamura could not reach the pinnacle due to extremely poor booking decisions.
His "dream" feud with AJ Styles was expected to go beyond the heights achieved in New Japan Pro Wrestling. However, the feud was reduced to a sham with mediocre fights and excessive usage of low blows to establish the heelish character of Nakamura.
Thereby, Nakamura has not been able to reclaim his credibility and with the passage of time, his TV appearances have reduced to few and far in between.
On July 09, 2019, Nakamura made a surprise return to the ring as he squared off against the Intercontinental Champion, Finn Bálor, in a non-title bout. Against all expectations, Nakamura managed to pick up an impressive, clean victory wherein he got the opportunity to show off his aggressive side, which made him the superstar in Japan and in NXT.
Let us look at how significant this victory is for the WWE as a whole.
#3 Making amends for the past mistakes
As mentioned earlier, the unfortunate position which Nakamura finds himself in right now in the pecking order is owing to the terrible booking decisions made by WWE after WrestleMania 34. The quality of matches did not go any way near to the high expectations. Instead we got just a bunch of low blows to end matches in disqualifications. The time was absolutely right for the WWE Championship to be given to Nakamura. However, WWE missed the bus at the time on multiple occasions.
Nakamura did become the United States Champion on 2 occasions. However, his constrained wrestling style and limited appearances didn't help in the elevation of the title in any way.
There is no doubt in the talents of 'The King Of Strong Style' and it would be extremely unfortunate if Nakamura steps away from WWE with such a record and history. It would also be a cautionary tale for wrestlers around the globe who may be aspiring to wrestle in the WWE some day. If a star like Nakamura can end up being a lower-card jobber, then what chance does any other wrestler stand in this overcrowded setup of WWE?
However, a fresh push for Shinsuke Nakamura can help right those wrongs and making amends of all the mistakes previously made with this supremely talented wrestler.
#2 WWE is in need of a new main-event star
The main event scene in WWE, in both Raw and SmackDown, is in dire straits at the moment. A non-wrestler such as Shane McMahon is taking most of the TV spotlight and fans are getting bored of seeing the same main event stars such as Seth Rollins, Kofi Kingston, Roman Reigns and Baron Corbin on a weekly basis. The low ratings for the weekly episodic shows are a clear indication of the growing unrest among the fans.
In the midst of this, emergence of a credible wrestler like Shinsuke Nakamura back into the main event is a definite shot in the arm. If given the desired liberty, Nakamura is still capable of producing high quality matches against the likes of Daniel Bryan, Kofi Kingston, Seth Rollins and many more. WWE can utilise the 'Wild Card Rule' to good effect to give the fans the matches they have always dreamed of.
#1 A push for Shinsuke Nakamura would be good for business
We have often heard of the cliched "best for business" line during the promos of The Authority. As astute businessmen, this is the way the McMahon family must be thinking of each and every decision taken in the WWE.
A push for Shinsuke Nakamura would be a good business decision specifically for 2 reasons. First, with SmackDown Live's impending move to FOX Sports in the coming months, it is heavily rumored that FOX wants the show to be more sporty in nature. This means more wrestling and less of storytelling.
In line with this request, a wrestler like Nakamura would be the perfect fit for the show, who is known for this Strong Style and fierce striking abilities in the ring.
Second, the emergence of All Elite Wrestling (AEW) has changed the landscape of professional wrestling in its entirety. No longer is the WWE the only promotion for the biggest wrestling talents in the world.
If any one is not getting the required opportunities in WWE, then he/she has the opportunity to explore other ventures. Hence, in the midst of the overcrowded roster WWE currently has, retention of talent is a huge challenge.
Owing to his position on the card, it would not have been surprising to hear rumors of Nakamura making the switch to AEW, or even New Japan Pro Wrestling, where Nakamura made a name for himself. Therefore, a fresh start for Nakamura can help in retaining this precious wrestling talent which the WWE currently possesses.
