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The WWE recently confirmed a huge champion vs. champion match for Survivor Series 2018 – said match being a showdown between "The Architect" Seth Rollins and "The Artist" Shinsuke Nakamura.
Rollins presently holds the WWE Intercontinental Championship on the RAW brand, whereas Nakamura proudly carries the United States Title as one of the top Superstars on the SmackDown brand. Given how we're now in the month of November, it goes without saying that Survivor Series is upon us!
Irrespective of whether this year's edition of WWE's Survivor Series PPV gives us a comprehensive brand vs. brand battle or a different storyline altogether in the traditional 5-on-5 Survivor Series Match, it has indeed been reiterated that WWE Universal Champion Brock Lesnar, RAW Women's champion Ronda Rousey and IC Champ Seth Rollins shall face WWE Champion AJ Styles, SmackDown Women's titleholder Becky Lynch and US Champ Shinsuke Nakamura respectively in singles matches.
In light of the Big 4 PPV, Survivor Series, which takes place on November 18th, today, we bring to you the biggest reasons why Seth Rollins will beat Shinsuke Nakamura at the highly-awaited event...
#5 Booking patterns
Starting off with the most glaring reason behind Seth Rollins being the odds-on favorite to defeat Shinsuke Nakamura at Survivor Series, it's no secret that the WWE's booking patterns in recent history have been rather telling. In simple terms, the WWE has booked Rollins like a bona fide star in recent years, whereas the same cannot be said about Nakamura.
Let's face it, the general consensus going into WrestleMania 34 in April of this year, was that Nakamura would be unstoppable in his quest to capture the WWE Championship. Well, Nakamura's aura of power and mystique came crashing down when he was beaten repeatedly by AJ Styles – and despite The Artist turning heel at 'Mania, he failed time and again in his attempts to beat WWE Champion, AJ Styles.
On the contrary, Seth Rollins now not only holds the WWE Intercontinental Title, but also is the reigning RAW Tag Team Champion alongside his Shield friend-turned-enemy Dean Ambrose. If the WWE's recent booking patterns are anything to go by, all signs point towards Rollins being favored over Nakamura in a potential one-on-one match between the two.
#4 Seth Rollins is involved in the WWE's top storylines
Alright, I'd like to clarify that by no means do we intend to undermine Shinsuke Nakamura's current standing in the WWE, nor do we assert that Nakamura isn't involved in any worthwhile storylines on the SmackDown brand. Far from it!
The fact is that Nakamura holds the WWE United States Title, and is undoubtedly involved in his fair share of essential storylines on the blue brand. However, Nakamura's feuds, week in and week out on SmackDown Live, fail to hold a candle to the top flight and emotional storylines that Seth Rollins is involved in on RAW.
Let's be honest here – do we really view Nakamura's strange storyline against Jeff Hardy or The Artist's random Crown Jewel US Title defense against Rusev as legitimate top-tier storylines? The answer is a resounding "No!"...That said, Seth Rollins has, as of late, feuded against Drew McIntyre and Dolph Ziggler, and is now in the midst of an epic, emotional rivalry with his former Shield brethren Dean Ambrose.
#3 Seth Rollins is a bigger star than Shinsuke Nakamura
Before Shinsuke Nakamura's NJPW loyalists bring out the pitchforks, this writer would hereby like to request that you pay heed to the following observations first.
Yes, Nakamura is a big star in Japan, and it was that very stardom along with his undeniable charisma which helped him get over with the fans in NXT. However, ever since the Japanese Superstar has ascended to the WWE's main roster, his on-screen character seems to have hit the proverbial glass ceiling, to say the least...The pop that Nakamura's entrance, his moves, and his promos used to receive from the WWE Universe have been steadily experiencing a downward trend as of late.
On the contrary, while Seth Rollins was stuck in somewhat of a ho-hum rivalry with Triple H that culminated at WrestleMania 33 in April of 2017, Rollins subsequently reinvented himself and has been "burning it down" ever since! Although Nakamura has held the NXT Title previously, and now holds the US Title; Rollins is a former WWE World Heavyweight Champion, besides also being a Triple Crown and a Grand Slam Champion.
#2 A loss to Seth Rollins doesn't hurt Shinsuke Nakamura
This is quite possibly the biggest reason why the WWE could have Seth Rollins go over Shinsuke Nakamura at Survivor Series this November 18th. A loss to Seth Rollins does not hurt Shinsuke Nakamura's current standing in the WWE.
As a matter of fact, Nakamura lost clean to Rey Mysterio at SmackDown 1000 in October of this year, which thereby enabled Mysterio to qualify for the WWE World Cup tournament. Truth be told -- losing clean to Mysterio may have hurt Nakamura's brand as a US Champion, more than a potential loss to Seth Rollins would.
In fact, I'd dare to go as far as saying that losing to Rollins may very well elevate Nakamura's brand and visibility in the WWE today. It's undeniable that Nakamura's on-screen character has been stuck in a rut as of late, and him even participating in a high-profile match such as his upcoming Survivor Series showdown against Rollins – win or lose – would be great exposure for Nakamura's character today.
#1 Seth Rollins is "The Man" in WWE
The Shield is a unique group, isn't it? You have Roman Reigns, who claims to be "The Guy" – You have Seth Rollins, who calls himself "The Man" – And you have Dean Ambrose, who, well, refers to himself as "The Dude".
Now, although that may seem a tad cheesy at face value, it'd be foolhardy to deny Rollins' claim. It is indeed an undisputed fact that Seth Rollins is The Man in the WWE today! With Reigns on hiatus due to his leukaemia diagnosis, and Ambrose never quite fitting in as the face of the company, it's now down to Rollins to represent the WWE banner the world over as its top young Superstar.
With that in mind, it's only logical that the WWE would be better off having Rollins emerge victorious in his champion vs. champion match against Shinsuke Nakamura at Survivor Series later this month. Love him or hate him, you simply can't deny that Rollins appears destined to defeat Nakamura come November 18th.
Who'd you like to see win at Survivor Series? Sound off in the comments!
