WWE SmackDown Flops and Hits: Roman Reigns punished for insulting 11-time champion, big mistake before Survivor Series

#2 Flop on WWE SmackDown: Shinsuke Nakamura’s token victory

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Shinsuke Nakamura’s reign as the Intercontinental Champion on WWE Smackdown has been relatively uneventful. He has been chiefly involved in feuds with tag teams, competing alongside Rick Boogs.

This has taken a serious toll on the build-up to his match against United States Champion Damian Priest at Survivor Series. They are nowhere close to looking equal ahead of the upcoming pay-per-view, and thus The King of Strong Style needed a token victory tonight.

Nakamura faced Angel, which played well into the narrative surrounding his feud with Los Lotharios. Rick Boogs and Humberto were present at ringside as they witnessed their respective partners engaging in a match inside the ring.

Everything was still fine until the creative team restricted the bout to a few minutes on WWE SmackDown. We hardly saw either of the two superstars land a credible offense until Nakamura sealed his victory with Kinshasa.

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Understandably, the Japanese star needed this victory, but it didn’t have to be so underwhelming, especially when you consider that Angel is his biggest rival at the moment. He could have used a more credible victory over his opponent, laying the foundation for a more intense feud.

For now, it would be fair to say that any bit of threat seen by Shinsuke Nakamura in his match at Survivor Series can solely be credited to his reputation.

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 Kaushik Das

WWE SmackDown Flops and Hits: Roman Reigns punished for insulting 11-time champion, big mistake before Survivor Series (19th November, 2021)

#2 Flop on WWE SmackDown: Shinsuke Nakamura’s token victory