WWE SmackDown Flops and Hits: John Cena and Roman Reigns’ verbal assaults exceeds expectations, big title change before SummerSlam 2021 (13th August, 2011)

#2 Hit on WWE SmackDown: ‘King’ Shinsuke Nakamura wins the Intercontinental Championship

Shinsuke Nakamura won the Intercontinental Championship on WWE SmackDown

This week on WWE SmackDown, ‘King’ Shinsuke Nakamura challenged Apollo Crews for the Intercontinental Championship match. It was an excellent encounter between two superstars who relied on their respective strengths. Rick Boogs and Commander Azeez were at ringside to accompany Nakamura and Crews, respectively. However, the match official sent both superstars backstage during the title match.

Nakamura and Crews locked horns in a well-balanced encounter. The latter looked aggressive in the match and proved to be a big challenge for the King. However, Nakamura eventually sealed his victory with a Kinshasa and won the Intercontinental Championship on WWE SmackDown.

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😱😱😱#SmackDown #ICTitle @WWEApollo @ShinsukeN pic.twitter.com/CuJuxf7B2v
— WWE (@WWE) August 14, 2021

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It was an excellent decision to schedule this match for WWE SmackDown this week instead of SummerSlam 2021. Nakamura’s title win is huge, but it would have been overshadowed at the pay-per-view. The title change added to the show’s solid start, and there are several incredible opportunities for the creative team to explore during Shinsuke Nakamura’s Intercontinental Championship reign.

Honorable mention: Rick Boogs and Pat McAfee’s celebration

👑👑👑King @ShinsukeN is your NEW Intercontinental Champion!!!#SmackDown @rickboogswwe @PatMcAfeeShow pic.twitter.com/lY9wnGVlZt
— WWE (@WWE) August 14, 2021

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It would be borderline criminal to talk about this match without mentioning Pat McAfee and Rick Boogs’ epic celebration on WWE SmackDown. The two hyped Nakamura like his long-lost brothers, playing air guitars while the entire arena sang along to Nakamura’s theme music.

Pat McAfee deserves a lot of credit for going above and beyond to make his commentary special. But his moves on top of the commentary desk every time Shinsuke Nakamura arrives are something that will never be topped on WWE SmackDown.

About the author

Shruti Sadbhav is a WWE writer at Sportskeeda Wrestling. With a triple major in Journalism, English Literature, and Psychology, she has always been drawn to writing. As an avid sports lover, writing about sports was the finest way to combine her passion with her prowess.

Whenever she writes, Shruti puts herself into the shoes of fans to see how she would appreciate an honest account of anything related to something she follows wholeheartedly with engaging and relevant information to cater to the readers' needs.

Shruti has seven years of experience. She previously worked as a content manager at Fox Sports Asia and as an assistant manager and digital marketer at Kickstart FC. Shruti previously worked in multiple roles in Sportskeeda, where she was a WWE features writer, editor, and content manager. She has over 40 million+ reads across all her writer profiles, giving her an immensely diverse audience across WWE and football.

When it comes to pro wrestling, Shruti does not particularly remember the first match she watched. However, she recalls accompanying her brother and getting hooked when she saw The Undertaker – a fascinating wrestler that she, like thousands of others, believed in.
Her views on pro wrestling evolved as she grew older and understood the intricacies of the business. This allows her to appreciate those who dedicate themselves to the craft and, once in a while, it does become what it has always been touted to be – magical. Her favorite wrestler is Finn Balor due to his persistence.

When she is not working as a writer, Shruti loves to read, enjoy a good cup of coffee, and let Manchester City dictate her weekend plans.

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Edited by Anirban Banerjee