5 Superstars that could challenge Shinsuke Nakamura for the Intercontinental Title

Disclaimer: The views of the author do not necessarily reflect those of Sportskeeda.

Shinsuke Nakamura defeated Finn Balor to win the Intercontinental Title on SmackDown Live, but hasn't been challenged or even seen since then. While a lot of that probably has to do with SmackDown Live's time constraints and the fact that they rotate storylines weekly, one still has to wonder who will step up and challenge Nakamura.

Beyond that, which opponents would be best to take on Nakamura going forward and what can WWE do to make the storyline impactful? Of course, the answer to that question is going to vary from person to person, but fans can probably agree that some opponents are more deserving than others.

That being said, we look at 5 Superstars that should challenge him for the belt. As always, let us know your thoughts in the comments below and be sure to tell us who you think Nakamura should face off against in the coming weeks.

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#5 Big E

Is it time to for Big E. to venture out into singles competition?

Although Big E has already won the the SmackDown Live Tag-Team title, it doesn't mean he should be relegated to that division. If WWE is still eager to have Big E be the one to eventually betray Kofi Kingston, it should start with the former bodybuilder venturing out into singles competition.

That's not the only advantage of putting Big E in the Intercontinental Title picture however, as Langston has had great matches with smaller guys in his past. He also is an inspirational figure to get behind, which should pretty much guarantee that he would be the fan-favourite when he goes up against Nakamura.

In the end, if WWE wants to eventually break up The New Day, it should all start with Langston venturing into singles competition. That way, WWE can start to showcase Langston's jealously of being on the fringes of Kingston's limeight and eventually turn on him.

#4 Rusev

Rusev would be the perfect opponent for Shinsuke Nakamura

What better way to showcase the Intercontinental title than to bring Rusev back as a babyface and challenge his former Tag-Team partner to a match? This would make a lot of sense, especially since WWE chose to put Nakamura on television and not Rusev, which could be used as a jealousy angle.

Or maybe WWE can frame it as Rusev wanting to prove that he still belongs in the company and use Nakamura to help make that statement. Either way, a match between former allies would be fun to watch, would make things a little more personal, and maybe even get a decent series of matches out of it.

Of course, Rusev should probably have a couple of matches to showcase his versatile moveset again, but sooner or later, WWE can probably find an excuse for these two to cross paths again.

#3 Aleister Black

Aleister Black versus Shinsuke Nakamura would be a dream match of sorts

Aleister Black has had a string of impressive victories lately and while some might think it's too early to put him in the title picture, the names he has beaten says otherwise. Beyond all that, Black's highflying style would match perfectly with the viciousness of Nakamura, which should make for an interesting feud.

It would also be a great way for WWE to finally move Black up the ladder a bit and get him out of these one-time feuds with established midcard talent. At least that way, WWE is keeping the storyline fresh and building tension, while also getting fans to rally behind Black as a midcard anti-hero.

In the end, that might not sound like much, but a win against Nakamura would be a great way to start proving that this is one of the future stars of WWE. Sure, it comes at the expense of Nakamura, who hasn't been Interconetnal champion for very long, but it would honestly be justified if it helps build a Superstar like Black.

#2 Buddy Murphy

Buddy Murphy would be a great opponent for Shinsuke Nakamura

Buddy Murphy might have come up short against Roman Reigns on SmackDown Live, but he took the former champion to his absolute limit in the process. It even felt like a sort of passing of the torch moment, making Murphy both a force to be reckoned with and someone WWE sees potential in.

Whether that lasts or not is going to be interesting to watch over the next couple of weeks, but he would be a great opponent for Shinsuke Nakamura given their respective skillsets. WWE could even let Murphy beat Nakamura, win the IC title and then go on to have a run as a solid midcarder for awhile.

In the end, if Buddy Murphy is as big a deal as WWE is trying to make him out to be, they are going to devote a lot of time to him. Another thing they will likely do is try to get him into a title picture relatively quickly, which will be a good way to show fans that Murphy is indeed the next big thing.

#1 Ali

Can Ali dethrone Shinsuke Nakamura as the Intercontinental titleholder?

From his poetic promos to his high flying offence, Ali has proven himself to be the real deal in WWE and fans should take notice. He is also the first person to defeat Nakamura after winning the Intercontinental Title, which makes him arguably the best person to challenge him for the title.

Another thing that seems to make the two destined for a collision is the fact that their offensive styles work so well against each other. Think about it this way, the midcard title is in need of a reboot after featuring sparsely throughout the last few months and what better way to do that then to put an underdog like Ali up against a destroyer like Nakamura?

In the end, the Intercontinental Title needs to start mattering again and a great way to do that is to put these two together. If nothing else, it will at least create an interesting series of matches between the two, help Nakamura have a memorable run as champion and maybe even put over Ali in the end!