'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
What’s the story?
WWE announced two big matches for the next episode of SmackDown Live, and one of them will be a first-time encounter.
In addition to Kevin Owens facing AJ Styles for the United States Championship, John Cena will face Shinsuke Nakamura next week on SmackDown.
In case you didn’t know...
Jinder Mahal came out to gloat about his win over Randy Orton in the Punjabi Prison match at Battleground. Cena came out to interrupt him and demand a match for the WWE Championship.
However, before Cena could leave the arena, General Manager Daniel Bryan came out and announced a number one contenders match between the erstwhile Doctor of Thuganomics and Nakamura to determine the number one contender for the WWE Championship at Summerslam.
The heart of the matter
Cena and Nakamura are two of the biggest stars in professional wrestling, so it is fair to say that there are many who consider this to be a dream match. The last time this happened was when WWE gave away the first televised match between AJ Styles and Randy Orton on SmackDown Live.
What’s next?
This match will take place on August 01, 2017. Cena’s last few years in the WWE have resulted in some of the best matches of his career, and he has the opportunity to add another classic to his resume.
Author’s take
I will never understand why the WWE gave away such a big match on free television, especially with Summerslam just around the corner. Even though Nakamura is in greater need of a win, John Cena's quest for a record breaking seventeenth World Championship has a lot more box office appeal.
Send us news tips at [email protected]
