Treating Shinsuke Nakamura Like A Star Is The Right Move
Mia Walsh Quick Links
Shinsuke Nakamura is a Japanese professional wrestling star, who, for the most part, hasn't been treated like one by the WWE. He is currently signed to a deal with the company and returned to television on this week's episode of SmackDown, finally getting the pomp and circumstance that should come with each appearance he makes. A performer the fans desperately want to get behind and with an entrance theme everyone loves to sing along with, there's an innate quality about Nakamura that has him standing out from the crowd as someone the company can turn into an international superstar.
A former mixed martial artist and professional kickboxer, Nakamura is a legit tough guy, but he's wildly entertaining. Happy enough just to enjoy the experience of being a WWE Superstar, his carefree attitude brings with it something that draws fans in. He became a fan favorite of New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in 2002 and rose to the top of the company. He won numerous championships in NJPW, including the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, the IWGP Intercontinental Championship, and the IWGP Tag Team Championship. When he signed on with WWE and made his debut in NXT, the sky was the limit. Since his main roster call-up, things haven't gone terribly, but he's not reached the heights many had expected for him.
It's not that WWE doesn't like Nakamura, but they haven't positioned him in a way that will really capitalize on his widespread appeal. Under Triple H's creative direction, the hope is that things finally change.
Nakamura's Return During SmackDown Was A Good Start
On Friday, and after months away, Nakamura made his return. His appearance on the show was promoted ahead of time, giving fans a week to get excited about what WWE might choose to do with him. When he arrived, he was accompanied by the full spectacle of his entrance, his always typical catchy theme song, and WWE allowed the fans to get right into it. In fact, the entrance lasted almost as long as the match did, with Nakamura getting a quick squash victory over Madcap Moss in just over 90 seconds.
This is how you treat a star you're trying to quickly push back to the top of the card. It was a decisive win that sent the message Nakamura was not wasting time, nor was he going to sell a bunch for wrestlers not on his level. When WWE then set the stage for an upcoming feud with Karrion Kross, that made even more sense as this is a legitimate opponent that Nakamura can defeat, but who is also considered a bonafide threat. The crowd was into the entire segment and WWE didn't give anyone enough time to let the reaction to his entrance die down. Before you knew it, he pulled out a win and it was time to cheer again.
Triple H Hopefully Knows What He Has
As one YouTube commenter posted, "I hope Shinsuke finally goes places now with this and they don't just do the same old thing with him because he has talent if we could just see WWE get along maybe we could finally see how special he is." One would hope that Triple H, who was responsible for pushing Nakamura in NXT, understands the value of Nakamura on a global scale. Sure, The King of Strong Style is not going to cut the most concise promos due to his language barrier, but he doesn't need to speak more than a few words to be effective. His strong style approach and undeniable charisma are all he needs to be a top-tier babyface. Frankly, he's one of the most physically charismatic wrestlers ever.
Look no further than the one match he had in 2016 with Sami Zayn at NXT TakeOver: Dallas. He defeated Sami Zayn in a highly acclaimed match and that began his meteoric rise and two runs with the NXT Championship. He's capable of having incredible matches and if placed in the right situation and pitted against the right opponents, he can tear the house down in a bout that will have fans talking. When you couple his flamboyant style, eccentric personality, and unique in-ring abilities, you have the makings of a megastar. Triple H has to see it.
WWE Needs Top-Level Babyfaces
If you look at the company's roster right now, the one thing WWE is shy on are babyface main-eventers. On Raw, you have Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins. On SmackDown, you have Sami Zayn and Kevin Owens. Rhodes is at the top of the totem pole and is the most black and white of the babyfaces WWE can call upon, but Rollins is a tweener the fans simply want to cheer. Meanwhile, Zayn and Owens are tied up in a tag team feud with The Usos. One could make a case for Drew McIntyre and Rey Mysterio, but the contract status of the former is up in the air and the latter is embroiled in one of the company's hottest storylines as he battles his son.
This is absolutely ideal timing to push Nakamura to the moon. He's got the in-ring talent to be believable as a top-level draw, he's got the international appeal, he's got the personality, and WWE has the opportunity available to tie it all together. You can see how over the stars with the interactive music are with the audience -- Cody and Sami are two great examples --; that said, Nakamura is so much more than just a catchy theme song and it's time WWE treats him as such.
He doesn't need Rick Boogs, he doesn't need goofy storylines, and he doesn't need to be used as a guy that fills space during a two-hour program. Let him wrestle, give him a couple of catchphrases that will catch on with the WWE Universe, and let his personality and natural appeal do the rest. He'll get through this feud with Kross, become a legitimate contender, and offer a useable main-event star that WWE desperately needs on the blue brand.
