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Ever since his main roster debut on April 4, 2017, Shinsuke Nakamura has been touted as a future world champion. He had one of the more popular runs in NXT's short history, capturing the NXT Championship on 2 separate occasions. Nakamura had a number of classic matches including bouts with Sami Zayn, Bobby Roode and Samoa Joe.
After months of fans crying for Nakamura's main roster debut, he graced our screens on the first SmackDown Live after Wrestlemania 33. He has since feuded with Dolph Ziggler, Baron Corbin and Jinder Mahal for the WWE Championship. Although discretely, Nakamura has done more in the WWE in less than a year than we might think, although he has not been elevated anywhere near his potential. Here are five reasons why Shinsuke Nakamura should win the 2018 Royal Rumble.
#5 The Build
It's no secret the Royal Rumble is the very beginning of the Road to Wrestlemania. The event gives fans building blocks for future storylines, traditionally culminating at the grandest stage of them all. We know the winner of the Royal Rumble will be in one of the main events at Wrestlemania, and over the next 2 months will be involved with the world champion.
Often the reasons given for Shinsuke not be victorious include his lack of momentum and lack of time spent in the main event. Although Shinsuke has not had his 'breakout' moment on the main roster, there is no denying he is still a crowd favourite with one of the best reactions on the Smackdown roster. The best thing about winning the Royal Rumble, you immediately have as much momentum as anyone in the company.
The Royal Rumble's success has been built on unpredictability and surprise. Tell me, how much momentum did John Cena have in 2008 before he returned to Madison Square Garden to eliminate HHH and make his way to the Wrestlemania 24. Cena went from 'on the shelf' straight back to the biggest star in the company in 20 mins.
Winning the Royal Rumble is the equivalent of putting the WWE rocket on your back. You are now in one of the most prominent storylines heading into Wrestlemania before you challenge the world champion in one of the main events on the show. Watching Nakamura in the main event storyline, with his charisma and connection with the crowd, will only lead to a highly anticipated Wrestlemania moment. This is the year for Shinsuke Nakamura to live up to his potential if given the chance.
#2 The Fans
Wrestling is like a religion. A pursuit or interest followed with great devotion. If you are past the point of a casual fan this most likely relates to you. On his latest Podcast with Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens, Chris Jericho commented on all fans that treat Wrestling like a religion, we absolutely love everything about it, but we also hate everything about it.
Wrestling fans are never happy and we are always complaining that we never get what we want. However we will still watch, we will still attend and we will still pay for something that we are 'supposedly' not happy with.
It is a very rare instance there that the majority is happy with the direction on the screen. It is extremely rare that the hardcore fans, the internet fans, and the casual fans are collectively behind the WWE product at one point in time. Although never will you have 100% of your consumer happy, the closest and most recent time this has happened, would be the Daniel Bryan saga that culminated at Wrestlemania XXX.
This was a match that was not supposed to happen and was certainly not in the original plans. Alongside some very unfortunate injuries to certain superstars and the drama around CM Punk's departure, the fans backed the WWE brass into a corner, choosing Daniel Bryan as their guy. This made for an extremely memorable storyline that ended with Daniel Bryan and 70,000 fans chanting YES! as the celebration began.
By no means would Nakamura winning the Royal Rumble, and even competing in the main event of Wrestlemania compare to the run Daniel Bryan had in 2014, but it would be a case of a large portion of fans getting what they want. It is something that rarely happens. Traditionally, we are told what we are going to see at Wrestlemania, and there is a build up accordingly to peak our interest in the program.
There is no denying that Nakamura is a fan favourite, and the reaction would only be positive if he were to outlast 29 other superstars in Philadelphia. If AJ Styles was to remain champion through April, the face-off between the two extremely well-liked superstars would make for an amazing atmosphere appropriate for a Wrestlemania main event.
#3 Timing
If Nakamura is going to be the top player in the WWE, the time is now. Timing is everything in the WWE and we have seen this time and time again, a no bigger example that the way NXT talent has made a name for themselves once being called up.
Shinsuke Nakamura signed with the WWE in February 2016 with a 3-year deal. He spent approximately one year in NXT before being called up to the main roster. Whilst the average age of a WWE superstar is slowly rising, Nakamura aged 37, is certainly not getting any younger. When HHH would call for an NXT talent to be brought into the main roster, he would hope that the talent would one day be champion. Whilst Shinsuke competed in a number of world championship matches against Jinder Mahal in the summer, he is yet to have that one defining moment that could solidify him as a true main event player.
Now is the time for Shinsuke Nakamura, with all the pieces falling into place. A charismatic superstar with a great connection with the fans, who would be well received as the last man standing at the Royal Rumble. A great build up to a match that the fans want to see, whilst possibly holding the WWE Championship above his head, could be the series of events that Nakamura needs to be the star people know he could be.
#4 AJ Styles
AJ Styles is arguably the best professional wrestler on the planet. He has an array of 5-star matches in different companies around the world and many memorable feuds with many different stars. Styles is currently the WWE Champion and if the already locally advertised WWE Fastlane main event with him defending the title in a Fatal 5 Way is anything to go by, it seems he will still be world champion come Wrestlemania.
If Shinsuke Nakamura were to win the Royal Rumble, a showoff with AJ Styles for the WWE Championship would cater to a large portion of the WWE Universe. It has appeal for fans that have followed both careers before WWE including New Japan and TNA respectively, and it also appeals to the casual fan as both superstars are extremely well received by fans worldwide.
Interesting in August 2017 in an interview with ScreenGeek, AJ told the journalist that his most wanted Wrestlemania opponent would be Shinsuke Nakamura. He explained that the build-up and the match itself with the 2 stars, would be an amazing spectacle and one that would be well placed in the main event of Wrestlemania.
The fact that arguably the best wrestler in the world has nominated Shinsuke Nakamura as his desired opponent at the grandest stage, says a lot about how highly AJ Styles rates Shinsuke as a performer. If the WWE were to make the match happen, there is no way that AJ would let it be anything but spectacular.
#5 The Match
If there is no other reason for Shinsuke Nakamura to win the Royal Rumble, a potential match with AJ Styles is a clearly evident one. At Wrestlemania, as fans, we expect some of the best matches of the year, with some of the best storylines in the lead-up. In recent years WreslteMania has been filled with memorable moments as it always is, but those timeless matches at the event that will go down as classics have been few and far between.
Styles vs Nakamura has all the potential in the world to be one of the matches. A classic wrestling match with two of the greatest 'wrestlers' the company has to offer. The two Superstars have styles that work very well together, and that would help each star reach their full wrestling potential. Shinsuke has struggled this year to deliver his patented high-level matches, due to a clash in style and lack of chemistry with his opponents. AJ Styles is a fantastic dance partner that can lead Shinsuke to that higher level.
The two superstars have previously come across one another in Japan, a place known for its high octane matches, with dramatic drawn-out storytelling. The main event of Wrestle Kingdom 10, was the location of the encounter and lived up to the main event status and then some.
The WWE Universe was given a glimpse how special the meeting of these two superstars could be when they briefly squared off in the 2017 Money in the Bank ladder match. The atmosphere in the building seemed nothing short of electric and was evident on the television screen.
AJ Styles vs Shinsuke Nakamura for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 34, is a truly special prospect, it just requires the Artist to conquer 29 other men in Philadelphia.
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