Highlights

• WWE is making a renewed effort to change the perception that wrestlers from certain parts of the world have a lower ceiling with the company.
• Shinsuke Nakamura's recent push is part of this effort and is aimed at showing New Japan's Kazuchika Okada that Japanese stars can succeed in WWE.
• WWE's push for Japanese and Mexican stars to ascend in the company based on their in-ring talent will extend beyond Nakamura to wrestlers like Kairi Sane and Dragon Lee.

Pro wrestling has had a habit of being behind the times in a lot of ways over the years. WWE's women's revolution was great when it finally happened, but it was long overdue, and to this day there's a belief in some circles that wrestlers from certain parts of the world can only make it so far with the company. Apparently, Triple H, in particular, is very bothered by that belief, and Shinsuke Nakamura's recent push is the first of many ways The Game plans on trying to change that perception.

Tempting Kazuchika Okada

Nakmura's push specifically is apparently an effort to show New Japan's Kazuchika Okada that there isn't a ceiling for Japanese stars in WWE. That's according to the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Newsletter (subscription required) in which Dave Meltzer reported WWE has a renewed interest in The Rainmaker. "One person who buzzed us about the renewed interest in Okada said that one of the reasons Nakamura is getting a renewed push is to show Okada that this regime is not going to treat Japanese like the stereotypical children-like role," Meltzer writes, noting that the way Akira Tozawa is framed on the very same show is likely having the exact opposite effect.

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The key difference is Nakamura and Okada are close. That means even if Okada isn't watching WWE programming on a regular basis, and even if he isn't keeping track of what Nakamura is up to, when the two of them speak, The King of Strong Style likely has nothing but good things to say right now.

Changing The Perception

According to Ibou of WrestlePurists, a renewed effort to show Japanese and Mexican stars, who might speak broken English, that they can ascend as far as their in-ring talent will let them doesn't begin and end with Nakamura. Fans can expect to see Kairi Sane hit the ground running now she's back - and I'm assuming that'll apply to Asuka too - and for Dragon Lee to get more screen time on the main roster as well.

I love Nakamura getting more screen time and being slotted into big matches, but I'm also disappointed he didn't win the World Title having been given two bites of the cherry against Seth Rollins. The feud was built around the legitimately injured back of The Architect who presumably needs time off to have surgery. Why WWE didn't take that chance, and really show the world that Japanese stars can be on top at the same time, is a little confusing to me.