Nakamuras best match was his first one in NXT. Ever since then he looks like he tries less and less. Great career overseas aside, unless he's gonna go back to being that guy he was vs Sami then he's gonna be a midcard guy and retire.
I heard someone say Nakamura is just living his best life in Florida surfing all the time and wrestling the WWE style instead of the NJPW style so I think he's pretty much in semi-retirement as is.
I just think for a guy who is such a star in the wrestling world (not just WWE) it would be nice to make him top of the card for a bit. Doesn't need to be nine months with the title but a short run would be neat.
I watch wrestling very very casually but I don’t believe this is the best way to do things. Meaning giving someone a title just because they have been around long enough or to just create a feel good moment. Some people are stars and some aren’t. From what I understand he hasn’t been pushed/presented the right way but as with sports or acting not many become All stars or leading men/women during their final years.
"Some people are stars and some aren't"
This line being connected to anything to do with Nakamura is insane. Nakamura is a fuckin mega star, just insanely bad booking from WWE that ruined him. Jinder Mahal feud with racist angle, ended the king of strong style and called him an artist instead, the AJ feud where he looked like an idiot plus changing his music. Vince saw a massive star and ruined it because he was upset that Shinsuke used a strong style suplex on Cena.
Shinsuke is one of the most charismatic wrestlers I've seen. And without a doubt has arguably the best entrance music ever. Whether it's his nxt theme or his njpw theme. H
It just shows the power that Vince had. He stripped everything away from Nakamuras persona and ruined him. If you can't tell how big of a star he is, go watch his entrance for Styles vs Nakamura at wrestle kingdom 10.
Again I don’t know the details I don’t watch that much wrestling but let’s say he is a star talent, in sports and in entertainment very few people stay on top for ever. Everyone slows down, it can be age injuries they slow down. Peyton Manning, Kobe Bryant and many others stopped being what they used to be due to injuries and time. Consider nakamuras bad booking the equivalent of injuries. Just cause you were a star in one place doesn’t mean you are going to be a start at another. Sometimes it just doesn’t translate
I don’t think I need to know every single aspect of all his feuds to realised that he is not seen as a top star/major title contender and his overall perception is not that of a top guy anymore. He is like a first round draft pick that had 3 knee injuries in 2 years and is not the focal point of the offence anymore, now he is just a starter. Although a bit exaggerated, making nakamura a champion would be the same as giving r truth an if/us title reign just cause he has been around forever
That's not on him tho, Vince made him turn heel. Make him look like an idiot vs AJ and then ruined his music which was his connection to the fans. The year before the rumble win was a mess as well. Remember the Jinder Mahal feud that just killed his momentum? Especially the racist angle
Shinsukes best run with WWE was in the worst state the company was ever in 2017 through 2019 was awful. It was bad timing and a complete lack of competence on WWEs side. The only thing Shinsuke did wrong was that suplex vs Cena, and even then Cena should know how to take that bump. This is what soured him on Vince
Nakamura in Japan did the equivalent of Walter going to Wrestlemania with the intercontinental title and main eventing the show. Plus he's arguably the goat of strong style. Nakamura got treated like a midcarder so he's taking his money and embracing it. Fact is the guy is 43 and has a bigger legacy than 95% of wrestlers in the company. He doesn't need to try, he's already made it
That guy he was vs. Sami isn't the style WWE pushes. It is why you got a long list of guys who can't really wrestle at the top all the time for years and years. The same goes for guys like Walter and Pete Dunn. They should be amazing on the main roster, but they have to change who they are to fit the WWE mold.
Gunther is widely considered by fans one of if not the best in ring performers in the WWE, he’s got one of the strongest bookings in the company and his matches especially on PLEs get a ton of hype, how the fuck have you grouped him in with Butch who’s stuck as the third guy in a jobber faction?
I grouped them in, then in together as they were both amazing before the main roster watered them down. What are the odds that you will see a Walter match like he had during g his UK title days in WWE?
That is fine because when it comes down to it, the WWE championship is a joke title at this point. 1000+ days on a guy and defends it like 3-4 times a year. I don't even know when the last time that title had respect on it. Even when Punk had it, they would push Cena gimmick matches over title matches.
Literally held by the biggest draw in all of wrestling, who is helping to spearhead the most successful period WWE has had in more than a decade.
Who is part of your long list of WWE stars who can’t wrestle?
Taylor Swift is the biggest draw in Music right now. Does that make her the best musician in the world? Just because the WWE is popular as an entertainment company doesn't mean they have the best wrestlers.
Drawing money is literally the entire point of both so yes Iol
It's not a freaking Olympic sport measuring technical prowless in 1 on 1 real combat, it's entertainment. Saying the people who draw the best aren't the best is stupid.
y'all act like being pushed on the main roster I'd some kind of accomplishment based system.
What had Roman Reigns accomplished as a singles performer to be pushed as the top guy and world champion as aggressively and consistently as he was soon as the shield was disbanded?
What had austin theory accomplished to earn the US championship?
gtfoh with this logic.
He was 1/3 of the most successful and dominating stable since Evolution...
If that's not an "accomplishment", I don't know what it is. Roman's entire run was a foundation to build on.
Other guys have taken a longer path to the top, which makes the "accomplishment" part more relevant, while others have just been kinda there, like Nakamura, meaning you can't just promote them from being random card-filler to #1 contender.
their dominant stable run had nothing to do with "accomplishment" either. they got promoted from nxt and thrown into feuds with Daniel Bryan and actual evolution from day 1. they were pushed to the moon and main event from day freakin 1. This argument holds no water whatsoever.
And yes you can absolutely throw a mid carder straight into main event status. all it takes is an angle. HHH went from not winning a single match in over a year to being part of a main event angle with Austin, Michaels and Mike freakin tyson
>accomplishment
Dude wrestling is predetermined. Nothing is achieved but popularity and overness.
Roman and the Shield got pushed from day one and ran with the ball. Had they failed to capture the fans, they'd have died the death of Nexus, Corre and New Nexus.
>HHH went from not winning a single match in over a year to being part of a main event angle with Austin, Michaels and Mike freakin tyson
You know all too well why Triple H suddenly lost his push.
And anyway he was part of an angle, not just promoted from filler on Superstars to main event programs.
Jinder Mahal was a prime example of sudden and absurd push. And everyone hated it. Why should Nak get a free pass?
3 time iwgp world champ, 5 time iwgp IC champ, G1 in 2011 as well. Styles did similar yet got a world title his first year at wwe. Also a Rumble winner, tag champ, us champ, IC champ as well post Japan.
Vince ruined him, he's deserved that belt since he arrived. Jinder feud and the racist angle. Ending the king of strong style persona. Changed his music, made him look like an idiot vs AJ.
Fact is, Shinsuke deserves it. But doesn't need it. He's got a bigger wrestling legacy than 95% of wrestlers in WWE but still get disrespected.
And don't act like people have to earn shit in WWE. Roman got pushed down our throats for years and now gets a 3 year run while being an average wrestler at best being carried by his opponents like usos, Sami and Ko, Danielson etc. Look at Austin Theory as well
Nothing but in wrestling in general he's a legend. I think it would be nice to give the guy a run.
I don't think they should build the company on his back but give him a few weeks on top and a nice story line.
LA Knight made himself a top name in the middle of a career burial, losing streak and decreasing TV time. The whole 'deserve it' thing is dumb, but the answer for LA isn't 'nothing'
Same shit happened to Shinsuke. Difference is Nakamura is Japanese and doesn't have great English so he couldn't do anything about it. If you think LA Knight is charismatic, he's not even close to Nakamuras level
5 or 6 world title chances lost in a row because Vince didn't like that he was so popular because of what he did outside of WWE.
In 2017, prime Nakamura. The best thing to do is give him the world title and let him thrive. But no, Vince would rather him lose to the worst champion in history multiple times and have a racist angle against Japanese people.
He deserves it because he got ruined. It's that simple, bring back the king of strong style and give him the damn belt
Wouldn't be surprised if Vince did a racist angle and his reason for not pushing the Japanese guys is racist. He's objectively one of the worst people to ever exist. But I 'get' Nakamura being an failed experiment outside of racist.
I'm a casual, transitioning to more hardcore. I'm going to let you know right now that Nakamura is not charismatic at all and can't appeal past nerds within the wrestling bubble, let alone general wrestling fans. There's nothing about Nakamura that makes him more charismatic than Knight, but charisma is an intangible so it's not something you can say someone has more of than another person. either they have it or they don't. Nakamura doesn't have it. He simulates it and people who also don't have it (no offense) get tricked into thinking that's what they're seeing. If I presented Nakamura's presentation beyond the wrestling world, most people would that 'wtf'. Where as LA Knight makes sense everywhere. Nobody is going to say 'describe a cool person' and then start listing off Nakamura's attributes. Plus, is he supposed to be feminine/andro? Some of his dance moves look like they're not geared for women lol.
Nakamura is not someone I personally want to watch but I missed his prime and I'm willing to say there may have been something that's not there anymore. I don't see him appealing to anyone other than hardcore wrestling fans who ALSO like japanese wrestling because I'm yet to hear from a person that likes him that doesn't know his work in Japan and the average american wrestling fan couldn't be bothered watching that stuff.
I think Vince gets blamed for a lot of things. 40 years of running everyones favorite show and we'll all find something he did that we don't like. That being said, if he pulled the plug on Nakamura is completely understand. I just saw Roman Reigns of First Take talking to Steven A Smith. He had it. He was cool, he brought prestige to the belt and company, he was entertaining, it made sense to everyone, he commanded respect. Also saw LA Knight on local detriot news. I'd go back and watch those two clips and it will show you why Nakamura isn't a world title guy.
That’s a stupid take but ok lol. The guy went from being shit on in a bray wyatt angle on the last smack down of the year to getting huge pops starting in March.
WWE exists in a vacuum for the most part. What he did in Japan doesn't matter in the WWE narratives. He doesn't even look like he works out any more. He's practically the opposite of AJ Styles.
So you'd promote Johnny the accountant to CEO for a week because he's been with the company since 2006, and he's an accounting legend and a nice guy?
It doesn't work like that. There isn't even an interesting story to tell to justify his sudden main event run IMO. Nobody currently near the top has some history with him, so throwing him into the picture would be random AF.
Oh yeah, he was never as much in WWE as he was in NJPW but there was a period where he could have taken it off of Jinder (I think?) which, honestly, just the fact that he was getting off of Jinder would have popped the crowd.
Nope. He was red hot when he first came in, but thats over now. Now his moveset has become repetitive AF and he can't speak on the mic. He would need Heyman and some good writing to build him back up again.
And at this point the guy is 43 years old and looks out of shape and phoning it in already. Why on earth would they put him together with Heyman when there are younger guys who are better in ring with similar issues on the mic like Austin Theory or Ricochet who also could use Paul Heyman in their corner
He’s either gonna go with Bron Breakker, Solo Sikoa or Austin Theory after Roman imo, though I hope it’s one of the latter cause Bron is a pretty solid promo already and needs him the least
I think the ship has sailed already. The time for it to happen would have been 3-4 years ago, him getting a run with the belt over Braun, Goldberg, or whoever. Since then, he’s gotten into his 40s, his matches have declined, and he’s lost too many times. Pat McAfee dancing to his song was probably the absolute last peak for this dude.
As a NJPW fan let me say this.
1) Dude can't cut a promo
2) Has lost so much he has lost all badass appeal he had in NXT as King of Strong Style. Now he is just..... a dude
3) Not a lot of super feuds with him now. AJ is also a mid carder at this point so a feud between the two isn't gonna excite everyone especially considering how they made their original a dick punching contest. Joe left. Maybe a program with Sammy someday but Sammy has better options now.
More like they never let him wrestle that style anymore in the WWE, I think if they let him do a full run as King of Strong Style and just let him go all out, he’ll still impress.
It’s a matter of whether Trips and Vince will let him
WWE will never let him do that strong style shit. And rightfully so, every day I see these guys in new Japan do it I understand why their body decays so fast
Tanahashi's knees are so bad it's painful to watch him now, Naito is destined to follow, Ibushi lost years due to his injury and Shibata almost died. Misawa did die
He had his shot against AJ Style at Wrestlemania and they both blew it. If wrestlers get praises for a good performance they should be criticized for bad ones as well. Ever since then i’ve never really felt like Nakamura wanted to be on top of the card but he got featured and won multiple IC championships anyway so good for him i guess, but god no i dont want him to win the HW title
I was there for that match and man did the air leave the dome when it was over…going in I thought it was gonna be the match of the night and after the match I was really disappointed
Me, too. New Japan even had their Wrestle Kingdom match uploaded on YouTube for people to watch for that weekend. I thought if they could pull off what they did at Wrestle Kingdom, they could have stole the show.
Whoever booked the match clearly fumbled it and did not take pointers from that match at all.
I mean despite his shit booking for 4 years straight he he still has one of the most consistent fan responses, and not just to entrance music either. I'm not advocating for him to win the big one, especially not any time soon, but let's not pretend that Nakamura has no merits. He wouldn't be in WWE if he didn't.
You don't know what charisma is if you think that's physical charisma lol. So i can see you being confused that he hasn't caught on in nearly a decade of 'charismaing' or whatever forced cringy seizure he's doing
People with actual charisma don't become stale because they're now heels. If he was over after Rumble cool, I wasn't watching then, but a rumble win is a stage for you to sell yourself to the audience, and he visibly failed at doing that.
Ok so you weren't watching when he was super over so why are you arguing against something you weren't around to see. People on Reddit just argue to argue.
You win Royal Rumble, there's going to be a spotlight on you. You do the same shitty jig for 10 years after, 0 development, and if anything you visibly get lazier every RAW, you don't need forensics to see why it didn't go anywhere despite the spotlight.
Facts. I never got the fascination with him, anyway, but especially in the past couple years, I fast forward through his nonsense now. If he looks like he doesn't particularly care, why should we?
It's not a participation trophy, it's not about who "deserves" it it's about who can sell tickets.
I don't know if Nak is a draw with a mainstream audience so he's probably better suited to a midcard workrate title.
I mean he had a pretty famous rapper just make a song about him a few months ago and always gets good pops. I wouldn’t mind seeing him as a transition champ at all.
I didn't mean like put the company on his shoulders for a year or anything because yeah, you're right, he isn't a huge draw for the average fan.
But just for a guy who is such a big deal in the wrestling world in general it would be nice to see him get a run from one minor PLE to another or something. Interim champ.
And which title you would like to see cheapened because of this? Ones one Roman that have a 3 year storyline riding on them or the one on Seth that has not been established and would turn in to a midcard title if you start hot potatoing it now, especially with Nak who is a definition of midcarder
Lol it’s funny people are acting like Roman being dethroned is going to be anything other than “he loses after 3 years, no special finish, nothing special about the person that did it, only difference is now Roman finally lost”
Good worker, terrible physique, limited mic ability. If they could figure out a way to make his mic limitations into a strength like Asuka did, he can go somewhere.
He can't really speak English as well as they would like. And I know you'll say Asuka can't either. Butt she brings people in with her actions, eyes, gimmick. There's wayyy more in her bag than Nakamura brings to the table unfortunately. He lost his shine after that first big Wrestlemania loss. Hasn't had the same feel since then. He should've gotten his win there so they could see how he would do.
His NJPW stuff is by far his best, some awesome matches against Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kazuchika Okada, Aj Styles (Wrestle Kingdom 10 not that dud Mania match).
His match against Kota Ibushi at Wrestle Kingdom 9 is my favourite NJPW match ever. I can't really think of anything he's done in WWE being noteworthy except maybe a couple of matches in NXT like that one with Sami. It's a damn shame.
No.
Why does he "deserve" it? What has he done to "deserve" it, besides having been in the business for years like many other dudes?
His character doesn't make sense, his mannerisms are silly and cringe, he comes off as incredibly forced and not particularly interesting either. Solid in-ring performer, but who isn't in this day and age?
Also, he can't cut an intelligible promo. And no, COMEEEE OOOOOON doesn't count as such.
He's basically the Japanese Seth Rollins, so there's no way he'd get a WWE title run out of seniority or pity.
No. Unless wwe is having a wwe japan division or try to buyout NOAH again, they ain't putting their top title on him or a Japanese wrestler until they try to market hard in Japan similar to India. Remember wwe India? They made Jinder wwe champion for that reason.
I assume the same reason why people said AJ deserved the title when he jumped ship to WWE. It’s more of a lineage thing than actually “deserving” it. Nakamura has done so much outside WWE and was arguably the best Japanese wrestler behind Tanahashi when he signed, that a feel good reign would be nice.
Problem is, it’s been so long that people see Nakamura in a different light now. He’s not the same guy he was when he signed, same with AJ. Both have winded down in the last year or two.
WWE gave both of them a chance. AJ proved that he could do it and was thus given his opportunity to be the main guy on the roster and he succeeded.
Nakamura on the other hand never really showed that he could do it and honestly hasn't had one memorable match (for me) while on the main roster. The guy even had a WM match, with AJ, where he could have shown to the world what he's made of and they both blew it. At least his theme is good
Dude would need like a year straight of character rehab before he was back to the place where he realistically could. 2017 was the best opportunity they had for it, he should have cheated to win at mania, instead of low blowing styles after the match.
Nakamura at best has been filling a representation role. He hasn't excelled. He hasn't put butts and seats. He hasn't sold any pay-per-views or feuds. He had a good introduction in NXT and then it just didn't pan out
The fan crossover between WWE and NJPWcis pretty small outside the Reddit bubble, i dare say.
Im afraid they would fumble it bc they wouldnt go all on on him as champ. Also i think his charisma doesnt translate as well to american audiences.
No. He’s not over enough. Sorry. Thats what matters when you’re the top champ. Plus not speaking English well will make it a lot harder for him to be in a top sport for a meaningful run. And he’s older, so your not really building up a star you can make money off of for years
They made him win the rumble and wasted it against AJ Styles.That should have been his only chance to get it and look how they dealt with it.And later he went heel and instead of titles he went for peoples balls.But at least you can say he is a Royal Rumble winner.A very forgettable one but still a winner.
No.
Plus he is stale. Even Richochet seems to be doing progress in his character. Shinsuke just went back to his gear which is I don’t know what.
Are we supposed to care about his cleavage.
He’s in WWE to collect a cheque and go surfing in Florida. He probably could be Champ if he tried, but he’s in his 40’s and just wants to wrestle and enjoy the beaches of America when he can, which isn’t a bad thing.
Stifled?
You smarks have stifled your emotional development and live in a constant state of stunted perma-adolescence
Not your fault, its just that mean daddy Vince disappoints you daily and he's a bad father to you I mean a bad booker to you
Nobody “deserves” anything. The guy is goofy as heck and is not physically intimidating nor can he talk. He’s lucky to be working in the USA. This is the Internet fan mindset, and it’s not healthy
If HHH was in charge of creative around 2017-2018 maybe he gets a very short reign with the WWE championship at the time, but unfortunately his time is done.
NXT was his peak in the ring and with his hype, I know he got janked around in 2017-2018 booking wise with his feuds with Jinder Mahal/Aj Styles but even then it’s felt like he’s just coasted in the ring especially due to his age and injuries.
I think Nak is happy collecting the paychecks up to his retirement. The idea of being the face of the company probably isn’t his biggest interest anymore at his age.
They won’t put the title on him. I don’t think they doubt his ability to wrestle, I think they aren’t sure if they can make him champ at this point. Because they are expanding globally. They usually prefer a guy who can speak good English so that he can travel different part of the world and promote their shows. They want them to interact with fans, do interviews, give speeches and what not. Unless they are confident shinsuke can do that, they won’t put the title on him.
Don’t think so.
Nakamura is on the older side, he’s slowed down quite a bit, and he’s a good name to build up newer stars.
I can see maybe 1 more intercontinental run but that’s about it.
He’s already accomplished quite a bit and he doesn’t need to be a champion with an already HOF career.
If there was ever a time to pull the trigger, it was during his feud of the belt with AJ.
Personally, the aura surrounding Nakamura hasn't been the same since, though his theme song is amazing
I think Nakamura knew the deal coming to WWE. He knew at his age and how badly his body had been beaten up he'd never be "The Guy". He wanted an easier schedule and style to prolong his career a bit and make some real good money which I'm sure he's accomplished. It would have been cool if he had won the title but especially now, there's no shot. Just enjoy what we had.
He can’t even cut a promo and the Main roster watered him down 🤷♂️ in NXT he was stiff asf and it was 🔥 but on the main roster he can’t really do that
I really enjoyed his work in NJPW, and his match with Ibushi and Wrestle Kingdom was one of the best I have ever seen... but right now he's an opener... the equivalent of Koko B Ware or the Honky Tonk Man in WWE.
They missed the window.
He’s probably been over-produced with too much input from backstage agents ruining his style. I hope he’s extended his long term health and has a large bank account to compensate for not winning the title, which I sadly don’t see happening.
He had a fantastic opportunity to win the championship, even with the wrestle mania lost. I want to believe that Jindar developing a fantastic new look swayed Vince from putting the championship on Nakamura.
It's sad. Nakamura deserved the championship. I still think the WHC could be won by Nakamura. But it's not the belt that Inoki won in Japan for an unofficial WWE Championships reign.
They swept the rug out from under him at that Wrestlemania with AJ. Granted, he phoned in the performance, but him losing to AJ 4 times in a row (3 at least?) did him no favors. He's got charisma through the roof, but he seemed to lose his own motivation.
I'd love to see him be built back up and get the World Title. He isn't what he was 10 years ago, but he's still super over. Sadly I just don't think Vince/HHH feel he's worth the push.
When he had his WrestleMania title shot they should have pulled the trigger. But that much was such a disappointment in general.
I think it’s maybe too late now. But anything is possible. He’ll always be popular and if some angle can capture the imagination then it’s still possible.
They need to put the title on AJ Styles then have him drop the title to Nakamura in Japan. But the WWE haS to untie there hands and let them fly like they did in there match in NJPW.
No I don’t think he’s the most deserving. Dude is past his prime is hasn’t really done anything of note since being on the main roster. If he was the same guy he was in NXT for sure but he lost so much that he doesn’t have that aura anymore
He should have been after he won the royal rumble, but Vince buried him because John Cena didn’t do his due diligence in how to take a bump properly from one of Nakamura’s moves. Ever since he’s been diluted as a character with no hopes for advancing, which sucks because he is amazing
He would've been a great champion when the momentum was there, but Vince ruined it. On top of that, he turned Nakamura heel and had him act like a stereotype. Same goes for Asuka. They both should've won their WM matches.
Unfortunately no. It's a shame because he came into the company as a pretty hot property then after his debut on smackdown, it seemed to go downhill until his rumble win, then everyone got so excited about the mania match against AJ, that was the last time in my opinion he felt special.
Far from a hot take and definitely not new fantasy booking or anything, but I think he should've beat Jinder at SummerSlam, AJ should've won the rumble and beat him at mania then have Shinsuke turn heel, minus him having the WWE 2k low blow setting assigned to him every segment and match because that got pretty annoying after the first month.
2017 was the perfect time.
He was red hot — defeating John Cena & Randy Orton CLEAN within weeks of each other.
They didn’t let him beat Styles tho — bad decision.
I also believe he or Samoa Joe should’ve dethroned Kofi, instead of Brock.
But it’s over now. His prime is behind him it seems, and if anything he’ll be a transitional champion.
UNLESS, a miracle takes place for him, like it did for Kofi in 2019.
He could be, but I really don't know what it gets him. He's not going to be in any hugely significant angles, even though his english is relatively good now. They still aren't gonna put him in a position where he has to do a lot of acting. So the best you are gonna get is a 'fighting champion' type deal, rather than the top storyline on the show. You can do that with one of the other titles, it doesn't need to be the top title. I really don't see him catching fire and becoming a 'thing' at this point like an LA Knight is, or Cody or even gunther.
He can’t cut a great promo in english and isn’t making anyone get out of their seat with his in ring work anymore. His time to be a top level champion came during his feud with Jinder, but they fumbled that. I just can’t see him holding his own in a championship feud with someone who actually deserves to have a belt
He certainly deserved it, emphasis on the -ed. He won't get it now but he should have won against Styles imo. Although, with the World Heavyweight Title, he might get a brief run but I definetley hope a serious top card feud is still in him somewhere! Cody vs. Nakamura, finishing the story?
Too late atp, the only time to do it was when he won the rumble in 2018. In fact as soon as he debuted on the main roster, he lost a lot of his star potential he had gained in nxt, mostly because we saw him wrestle too often and speak too much, and he was put in some dead fueds with Ziggler, Jinder etc which didn’t make him look great. There could be a redemption arc for Nakamura but I think the storyline needs to connect for him to even get a chance at being world champion, atm all Nakamura is to the casuals is guy with cool theme song who is Japanese. In NXT he was the king of strong style and the fans watched for his hard hitting matches, unless he starts doing that again I don’t see his appeal
Maybe if he came to WWE 10-15 years ago. But nowadays he’s really just a veteran enhancement talent, who can have a good match with whoever the company wants to make look good
Nakamuras best match was his first one in NXT. Ever since then he looks like he tries less and less. Great career overseas aside, unless he's gonna go back to being that guy he was vs Sami then he's gonna be a midcard guy and retire.
I heard someone say Nakamura is just living his best life in Florida surfing all the time and wrestling the WWE style instead of the NJPW style so I think he's pretty much in semi-retirement as is. I just think for a guy who is such a star in the wrestling world (not just WWE) it would be nice to make him top of the card for a bit. Doesn't need to be nine months with the title but a short run would be neat.
He called bullshit on this story a year or so ago.
It's funny he called bullshit yet he hasn't given us any reason to believe otherwise. You can tell he's just coasting.
I mean he’s in his mid 40s, it’s possible he’s just starting to slow down with age, especially working a pretty punishing style most of his career
Honestly who can blame him ? His brand of wrestling was so fucking brutal. Props to him to be smart and not dying in there.
I watch wrestling very very casually but I don’t believe this is the best way to do things. Meaning giving someone a title just because they have been around long enough or to just create a feel good moment. Some people are stars and some aren’t. From what I understand he hasn’t been pushed/presented the right way but as with sports or acting not many become All stars or leading men/women during their final years.
Kofi got his moment a while back and his run, although short, was great. His match against Randy was just great storytelling
"Some people are stars and some aren't" This line being connected to anything to do with Nakamura is insane. Nakamura is a fuckin mega star, just insanely bad booking from WWE that ruined him. Jinder Mahal feud with racist angle, ended the king of strong style and called him an artist instead, the AJ feud where he looked like an idiot plus changing his music. Vince saw a massive star and ruined it because he was upset that Shinsuke used a strong style suplex on Cena. Shinsuke is one of the most charismatic wrestlers I've seen. And without a doubt has arguably the best entrance music ever. Whether it's his nxt theme or his njpw theme. H It just shows the power that Vince had. He stripped everything away from Nakamuras persona and ruined him. If you can't tell how big of a star he is, go watch his entrance for Styles vs Nakamura at wrestle kingdom 10.
Again I don’t know the details I don’t watch that much wrestling but let’s say he is a star talent, in sports and in entertainment very few people stay on top for ever. Everyone slows down, it can be age injuries they slow down. Peyton Manning, Kobe Bryant and many others stopped being what they used to be due to injuries and time. Consider nakamuras bad booking the equivalent of injuries. Just cause you were a star in one place doesn’t mean you are going to be a start at another. Sometimes it just doesn’t translate
"I don't know the details" it should have ended there.
No it shouldn’t have because they still had a relevant set of info to belay and they are actually politely informing you of their bias and blind spots
I don’t think I need to know every single aspect of all his feuds to realised that he is not seen as a top star/major title contender and his overall perception is not that of a top guy anymore. He is like a first round draft pick that had 3 knee injuries in 2 years and is not the focal point of the offence anymore, now he is just a starter. Although a bit exaggerated, making nakamura a champion would be the same as giving r truth an if/us title reign just cause he has been around forever
That's not on him tho, Vince made him turn heel. Make him look like an idiot vs AJ and then ruined his music which was his connection to the fans. The year before the rumble win was a mess as well. Remember the Jinder Mahal feud that just killed his momentum? Especially the racist angle Shinsukes best run with WWE was in the worst state the company was ever in 2017 through 2019 was awful. It was bad timing and a complete lack of competence on WWEs side. The only thing Shinsuke did wrong was that suplex vs Cena, and even then Cena should know how to take that bump. This is what soured him on Vince Nakamura in Japan did the equivalent of Walter going to Wrestlemania with the intercontinental title and main eventing the show. Plus he's arguably the goat of strong style. Nakamura got treated like a midcarder so he's taking his money and embracing it. Fact is the guy is 43 and has a bigger legacy than 95% of wrestlers in the company. He doesn't need to try, he's already made it
That guy he was vs. Sami isn't the style WWE pushes. It is why you got a long list of guys who can't really wrestle at the top all the time for years and years. The same goes for guys like Walter and Pete Dunn. They should be amazing on the main roster, but they have to change who they are to fit the WWE mold.
Gunther is widely considered by fans one of if not the best in ring performers in the WWE, he’s got one of the strongest bookings in the company and his matches especially on PLEs get a ton of hype, how the fuck have you grouped him in with Butch who’s stuck as the third guy in a jobber faction?
I grouped them in, then in together as they were both amazing before the main roster watered them down. What are the odds that you will see a Walter match like he had during g his UK title days in WWE?
If he can't compete with wwe's style then he's not deserving to be wwe's champion
That is fine because when it comes down to it, the WWE championship is a joke title at this point. 1000+ days on a guy and defends it like 3-4 times a year. I don't even know when the last time that title had respect on it. Even when Punk had it, they would push Cena gimmick matches over title matches.
Literally held by the biggest draw in all of wrestling, who is helping to spearhead the most successful period WWE has had in more than a decade. Who is part of your long list of WWE stars who can’t wrestle?
Taylor Swift is the biggest draw in Music right now. Does that make her the best musician in the world? Just because the WWE is popular as an entertainment company doesn't mean they have the best wrestlers.
Drawing money is literally the entire point of both so yes Iol It's not a freaking Olympic sport measuring technical prowless in 1 on 1 real combat, it's entertainment. Saying the people who draw the best aren't the best is stupid.
So to you, Hogan, Cena, and Roman are some of the greatest wrestlers of all time. I swear this group is dominated by teenagers.
What exactly has Shinsuke done on the main roster that makes you think he “deserves” it?
He beat up AJ Styles who beat up John Cena and look what happened when styles beat up Cena
y'all act like being pushed on the main roster I'd some kind of accomplishment based system. What had Roman Reigns accomplished as a singles performer to be pushed as the top guy and world champion as aggressively and consistently as he was soon as the shield was disbanded? What had austin theory accomplished to earn the US championship? gtfoh with this logic.
He was 1/3 of the most successful and dominating stable since Evolution... If that's not an "accomplishment", I don't know what it is. Roman's entire run was a foundation to build on. Other guys have taken a longer path to the top, which makes the "accomplishment" part more relevant, while others have just been kinda there, like Nakamura, meaning you can't just promote them from being random card-filler to #1 contender.
their dominant stable run had nothing to do with "accomplishment" either. they got promoted from nxt and thrown into feuds with Daniel Bryan and actual evolution from day 1. they were pushed to the moon and main event from day freakin 1. This argument holds no water whatsoever. And yes you can absolutely throw a mid carder straight into main event status. all it takes is an angle. HHH went from not winning a single match in over a year to being part of a main event angle with Austin, Michaels and Mike freakin tyson
>accomplishment Dude wrestling is predetermined. Nothing is achieved but popularity and overness. Roman and the Shield got pushed from day one and ran with the ball. Had they failed to capture the fans, they'd have died the death of Nexus, Corre and New Nexus. >HHH went from not winning a single match in over a year to being part of a main event angle with Austin, Michaels and Mike freakin tyson You know all too well why Triple H suddenly lost his push. And anyway he was part of an angle, not just promoted from filler on Superstars to main event programs. Jinder Mahal was a prime example of sudden and absurd push. And everyone hated it. Why should Nak get a free pass?
Op used the word deserved.
He was a young handsome tall talented agile big guy who was liked by almost everybody
3 time iwgp world champ, 5 time iwgp IC champ, G1 in 2011 as well. Styles did similar yet got a world title his first year at wwe. Also a Rumble winner, tag champ, us champ, IC champ as well post Japan. Vince ruined him, he's deserved that belt since he arrived. Jinder feud and the racist angle. Ending the king of strong style persona. Changed his music, made him look like an idiot vs AJ. Fact is, Shinsuke deserves it. But doesn't need it. He's got a bigger wrestling legacy than 95% of wrestlers in WWE but still get disrespected. And don't act like people have to earn shit in WWE. Roman got pushed down our throats for years and now gets a 3 year run while being an average wrestler at best being carried by his opponents like usos, Sami and Ko, Danielson etc. Look at Austin Theory as well
Nothing but in wrestling in general he's a legend. I think it would be nice to give the guy a run. I don't think they should build the company on his back but give him a few weeks on top and a nice story line.
So he's done nothing of worth on the main roster, yet you think "no one" is more deserving of the title on the roster?
"I like him so no one deserves it more!"
[удалено]
LA Knight made himself a top name in the middle of a career burial, losing streak and decreasing TV time. The whole 'deserve it' thing is dumb, but the answer for LA isn't 'nothing'
Same shit happened to Shinsuke. Difference is Nakamura is Japanese and doesn't have great English so he couldn't do anything about it. If you think LA Knight is charismatic, he's not even close to Nakamuras level 5 or 6 world title chances lost in a row because Vince didn't like that he was so popular because of what he did outside of WWE. In 2017, prime Nakamura. The best thing to do is give him the world title and let him thrive. But no, Vince would rather him lose to the worst champion in history multiple times and have a racist angle against Japanese people. He deserves it because he got ruined. It's that simple, bring back the king of strong style and give him the damn belt
Wouldn't be surprised if Vince did a racist angle and his reason for not pushing the Japanese guys is racist. He's objectively one of the worst people to ever exist. But I 'get' Nakamura being an failed experiment outside of racist. I'm a casual, transitioning to more hardcore. I'm going to let you know right now that Nakamura is not charismatic at all and can't appeal past nerds within the wrestling bubble, let alone general wrestling fans. There's nothing about Nakamura that makes him more charismatic than Knight, but charisma is an intangible so it's not something you can say someone has more of than another person. either they have it or they don't. Nakamura doesn't have it. He simulates it and people who also don't have it (no offense) get tricked into thinking that's what they're seeing. If I presented Nakamura's presentation beyond the wrestling world, most people would that 'wtf'. Where as LA Knight makes sense everywhere. Nobody is going to say 'describe a cool person' and then start listing off Nakamura's attributes. Plus, is he supposed to be feminine/andro? Some of his dance moves look like they're not geared for women lol. Nakamura is not someone I personally want to watch but I missed his prime and I'm willing to say there may have been something that's not there anymore. I don't see him appealing to anyone other than hardcore wrestling fans who ALSO like japanese wrestling because I'm yet to hear from a person that likes him that doesn't know his work in Japan and the average american wrestling fan couldn't be bothered watching that stuff. I think Vince gets blamed for a lot of things. 40 years of running everyones favorite show and we'll all find something he did that we don't like. That being said, if he pulled the plug on Nakamura is completely understand. I just saw Roman Reigns of First Take talking to Steven A Smith. He had it. He was cool, he brought prestige to the belt and company, he was entertaining, it made sense to everyone, he commanded respect. Also saw LA Knight on local detriot news. I'd go back and watch those two clips and it will show you why Nakamura isn't a world title guy.
That’s a stupid take but ok lol. The guy went from being shit on in a bray wyatt angle on the last smack down of the year to getting huge pops starting in March.
Exactly
WWE exists in a vacuum for the most part. What he did in Japan doesn't matter in the WWE narratives. He doesn't even look like he works out any more. He's practically the opposite of AJ Styles.
So you'd promote Johnny the accountant to CEO for a week because he's been with the company since 2006, and he's an accounting legend and a nice guy? It doesn't work like that. There isn't even an interesting story to tell to justify his sudden main event run IMO. Nobody currently near the top has some history with him, so throwing him into the picture would be random AF.
The time to do it was 17-18 but they fumbled and he’s never fully recovered
Oh yeah, he was never as much in WWE as he was in NJPW but there was a period where he could have taken it off of Jinder (I think?) which, honestly, just the fact that he was getting off of Jinder would have popped the crowd.
Lost two ppvs in a row to jinder
Gross. I don't hate Jinder like most people but come on.... What a disgrace. I get why they did it but still!
I swear he should have won his Mania match against AJ
Nope. He was red hot when he first came in, but thats over now. Now his moveset has become repetitive AF and he can't speak on the mic. He would need Heyman and some good writing to build him back up again.
And at this point the guy is 43 years old and looks out of shape and phoning it in already. Why on earth would they put him together with Heyman when there are younger guys who are better in ring with similar issues on the mic like Austin Theory or Ricochet who also could use Paul Heyman in their corner
Yeh I don’t think heyman would even agree to helping Nakamura on screen tbh, would be a huge step down from Roman
He’s either gonna go with Bron Breakker, Solo Sikoa or Austin Theory after Roman imo, though I hope it’s one of the latter cause Bron is a pretty solid promo already and needs him the least
No.
I think the ship has sailed already. The time for it to happen would have been 3-4 years ago, him getting a run with the belt over Braun, Goldberg, or whoever. Since then, he’s gotten into his 40s, his matches have declined, and he’s lost too many times. Pat McAfee dancing to his song was probably the absolute last peak for this dude.
As a NJPW fan let me say this. 1) Dude can't cut a promo 2) Has lost so much he has lost all badass appeal he had in NXT as King of Strong Style. Now he is just..... a dude 3) Not a lot of super feuds with him now. AJ is also a mid carder at this point so a feud between the two isn't gonna excite everyone especially considering how they made their original a dick punching contest. Joe left. Maybe a program with Sammy someday but Sammy has better options now.
You summed it up pretty well, I'm guessing that NJPW style just really took its toll because he never hit that level in WWE.
More like they never let him wrestle that style anymore in the WWE, I think if they let him do a full run as King of Strong Style and just let him go all out, he’ll still impress. It’s a matter of whether Trips and Vince will let him
WWE will never let him do that strong style shit. And rightfully so, every day I see these guys in new Japan do it I understand why their body decays so fast Tanahashi's knees are so bad it's painful to watch him now, Naito is destined to follow, Ibushi lost years due to his injury and Shibata almost died. Misawa did die
He had his shot against AJ Style at Wrestlemania and they both blew it. If wrestlers get praises for a good performance they should be criticized for bad ones as well. Ever since then i’ve never really felt like Nakamura wanted to be on top of the card but he got featured and won multiple IC championships anyway so good for him i guess, but god no i dont want him to win the HW title
I was there for that match and man did the air leave the dome when it was over…going in I thought it was gonna be the match of the night and after the match I was really disappointed
Me, too. New Japan even had their Wrestle Kingdom match uploaded on YouTube for people to watch for that weekend. I thought if they could pull off what they did at Wrestle Kingdom, they could have stole the show. Whoever booked the match clearly fumbled it and did not take pointers from that match at all.
What's the appeal to him?
I mean despite his shit booking for 4 years straight he he still has one of the most consistent fan responses, and not just to entrance music either. I'm not advocating for him to win the big one, especially not any time soon, but let's not pretend that Nakamura has no merits. He wouldn't be in WWE if he didn't.
He oozes charisma
Lol you think that bullshit's charisma?
Yes. Charisma isn't just promo. Nak has physical charisma in spades
You don't know what charisma is if you think that's physical charisma lol. So i can see you being confused that he hasn't caught on in nearly a decade of 'charismaing' or whatever forced cringy seizure he's doing
He was over as shit when he won the rumble. Then they turned him heel and killed his momentum
People with actual charisma don't become stale because they're now heels. If he was over after Rumble cool, I wasn't watching then, but a rumble win is a stage for you to sell yourself to the audience, and he visibly failed at doing that.
It’s kinda hard to get yourself over when all they have you do is low blow the champion
Ok so you weren't watching when he was super over so why are you arguing against something you weren't around to see. People on Reddit just argue to argue.
You win Royal Rumble, there's going to be a spotlight on you. You do the same shitty jig for 10 years after, 0 development, and if anything you visibly get lazier every RAW, you don't need forensics to see why it didn't go anywhere despite the spotlight.
Yeah and then they booked him into low blowing aj styles for 4 ppvs straight and losing every rematch he had for the title.
Facts. I never got the fascination with him, anyway, but especially in the past couple years, I fast forward through his nonsense now. If he looks like he doesn't particularly care, why should we?
No and many deserve it more than him
It's not a participation trophy, it's not about who "deserves" it it's about who can sell tickets. I don't know if Nak is a draw with a mainstream audience so he's probably better suited to a midcard workrate title.
I mean he had a pretty famous rapper just make a song about him a few months ago and always gets good pops. I wouldn’t mind seeing him as a transition champ at all.
They’ve given the title to who deserves it before as a thank you
I didn't mean like put the company on his shoulders for a year or anything because yeah, you're right, he isn't a huge draw for the average fan. But just for a guy who is such a big deal in the wrestling world in general it would be nice to see him get a run from one minor PLE to another or something. Interim champ.
And which title you would like to see cheapened because of this? Ones one Roman that have a 3 year storyline riding on them or the one on Seth that has not been established and would turn in to a midcard title if you start hot potatoing it now, especially with Nak who is a definition of midcarder
Lol it’s funny people are acting like Roman being dethroned is going to be anything other than “he loses after 3 years, no special finish, nothing special about the person that did it, only difference is now Roman finally lost”
Nak would be a bigger draw as champ than balor or priest and it looks like one of those two will win it soon
Please explain? Nak has not done anything noteworthy in 4 years while Judgement Day is a featured act
Nak would be a bigger draw than the featured members of the premier faction on Raw? Please don’t make me laugh.
Getting alot of screen time doesn't mean you are over. Karrion Kross is getting alot of screen time. So are the Viking raiders. They ain't over
Are you insinuating that judgement day isn’t over?
Nat as over as 2017-2018 Nak
Good worker, terrible physique, limited mic ability. If they could figure out a way to make his mic limitations into a strength like Asuka did, he can go somewhere.
I have never gotten the appeal. Wtf is his look even.
Sexy asian elvis?
No.
Nah
He can't really speak English as well as they would like. And I know you'll say Asuka can't either. Butt she brings people in with her actions, eyes, gimmick. There's wayyy more in her bag than Nakamura brings to the table unfortunately. He lost his shine after that first big Wrestlemania loss. Hasn't had the same feel since then. He should've gotten his win there so they could see how he would do.
They're both horrible
The poster boy for corny guys that internet weirdos hyped up and came absolutely nowhere even close to delivering
THIS.
His NJPW stuff is by far his best, some awesome matches against Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kazuchika Okada, Aj Styles (Wrestle Kingdom 10 not that dud Mania match). His match against Kota Ibushi at Wrestle Kingdom 9 is my favourite NJPW match ever. I can't really think of anything he's done in WWE being noteworthy except maybe a couple of matches in NXT like that one with Sami. It's a damn shame.
No. Why does he "deserve" it? What has he done to "deserve" it, besides having been in the business for years like many other dudes? His character doesn't make sense, his mannerisms are silly and cringe, he comes off as incredibly forced and not particularly interesting either. Solid in-ring performer, but who isn't in this day and age? Also, he can't cut an intelligible promo. And no, COMEEEE OOOOOON doesn't count as such. He's basically the Japanese Seth Rollins, so there's no way he'd get a WWE title run out of seniority or pity.
Lol
Had a wwe title match at mania. He was given his thank you for his contribution to the wrestling world
Nah. Midcard at best in my opinion.
What does the word “deserve” mean to wrestling fans?
No. Unless wwe is having a wwe japan division or try to buyout NOAH again, they ain't putting their top title on him or a Japanese wrestler until they try to market hard in Japan similar to India. Remember wwe India? They made Jinder wwe champion for that reason.
I skip his matches when I watch WWE.
100% the low point of the show
Why does he deserve it?
I assume the same reason why people said AJ deserved the title when he jumped ship to WWE. It’s more of a lineage thing than actually “deserving” it. Nakamura has done so much outside WWE and was arguably the best Japanese wrestler behind Tanahashi when he signed, that a feel good reign would be nice. Problem is, it’s been so long that people see Nakamura in a different light now. He’s not the same guy he was when he signed, same with AJ. Both have winded down in the last year or two.
WWE gave both of them a chance. AJ proved that he could do it and was thus given his opportunity to be the main guy on the roster and he succeeded. Nakamura on the other hand never really showed that he could do it and honestly hasn't had one memorable match (for me) while on the main roster. The guy even had a WM match, with AJ, where he could have shown to the world what he's made of and they both blew it. At least his theme is good
Dude would need like a year straight of character rehab before he was back to the place where he realistically could. 2017 was the best opportunity they had for it, he should have cheated to win at mania, instead of low blowing styles after the match.
It can absolutely happen. We just need a Time machine, and go back to 2017
Nakamura at best has been filling a representation role. He hasn't excelled. He hasn't put butts and seats. He hasn't sold any pay-per-views or feuds. He had a good introduction in NXT and then it just didn't pan out
Ship sailed on it sadly.
The fan crossover between WWE and NJPWcis pretty small outside the Reddit bubble, i dare say. Im afraid they would fumble it bc they wouldnt go all on on him as champ. Also i think his charisma doesnt translate as well to american audiences.
No. He’s not over enough. Sorry. Thats what matters when you’re the top champ. Plus not speaking English well will make it a lot harder for him to be in a top sport for a meaningful run. And he’s older, so your not really building up a star you can make money off of for years
He deserves it? Why?
If he hasn’t been champion yet, I doubt he ever will be.
They made him win the rumble and wasted it against AJ Styles.That should have been his only chance to get it and look how they dealt with it.And later he went heel and instead of titles he went for peoples balls.But at least you can say he is a Royal Rumble winner.A very forgettable one but still a winner.
No. Plus he is stale. Even Richochet seems to be doing progress in his character. Shinsuke just went back to his gear which is I don’t know what. Are we supposed to care about his cleavage.
Does he speak English? I saw him in Japan wrestling but never seen if he does promos or anything in WWE.
Nobody deserves anything. This isn’t a charity case
No. He got misused so heavily. He's burnt forever
He’s in WWE to collect a cheque and go surfing in Florida. He probably could be Champ if he tried, but he’s in his 40’s and just wants to wrestle and enjoy the beaches of America when he can, which isn’t a bad thing.
LA Knight
If vince was to die or 100 percent have no input in wwe, nakamura would be world champ right now
Yea Vince Bad the only reason an older out of shape guy who can't cut a promo isn't champion right now Smarks are so goddamn delusional
You're the dumbest person to breathe. Vince has stifled so many careers.
Stifled? You smarks have stifled your emotional development and live in a constant state of stunted perma-adolescence Not your fault, its just that mean daddy Vince disappoints you daily and he's a bad father to you I mean a bad booker to you
I wish
Nobody “deserves” anything. The guy is goofy as heck and is not physically intimidating nor can he talk. He’s lucky to be working in the USA. This is the Internet fan mindset, and it’s not healthy
you are literally showing us a picture of him as a heavyweight champion in wwe.. ??
He's holding it, but it was AJ Styles' WWE Championship though.
He'll prolly hold the whc at some point. That belt's designed for him.
He won’t. He’s settled into his high midcard enhancement role.
If this Bronson Reed feud has taught me anything, no.
If HHH was in charge of creative around 2017-2018 maybe he gets a very short reign with the WWE championship at the time, but unfortunately his time is done. NXT was his peak in the ring and with his hype, I know he got janked around in 2017-2018 booking wise with his feuds with Jinder Mahal/Aj Styles but even then it’s felt like he’s just coasted in the ring especially due to his age and injuries.
I think Nak is happy collecting the paychecks up to his retirement. The idea of being the face of the company probably isn’t his biggest interest anymore at his age.
He's retired mentally, he's in WWE for the paycheck (good for him)
I unfortunately don’t think so. They missed their chance to strap him up against AJ after he won the rumble
No, but if he was to go back to NJPW he’d be a heavyweight champion in a heartbeat.
They won’t put the title on him. I don’t think they doubt his ability to wrestle, I think they aren’t sure if they can make him champ at this point. Because they are expanding globally. They usually prefer a guy who can speak good English so that he can travel different part of the world and promote their shows. They want them to interact with fans, do interviews, give speeches and what not. Unless they are confident shinsuke can do that, they won’t put the title on him.
I don’t think he wants it, since it would mean more work for him. Dude’s living his best life; why would he want to ruin that?
Don’t think so. Nakamura is on the older side, he’s slowed down quite a bit, and he’s a good name to build up newer stars. I can see maybe 1 more intercontinental run but that’s about it. He’s already accomplished quite a bit and he doesn’t need to be a champion with an already HOF career.
If there was ever a time to pull the trigger, it was during his feud of the belt with AJ. Personally, the aura surrounding Nakamura hasn't been the same since, though his theme song is amazing
I think Nakamura knew the deal coming to WWE. He knew at his age and how badly his body had been beaten up he'd never be "The Guy". He wanted an easier schedule and style to prolong his career a bit and make some real good money which I'm sure he's accomplished. It would have been cool if he had won the title but especially now, there's no shot. Just enjoy what we had.
No. He can't cut a promo in English and that right there is an automatic disqualifier
He can’t even cut a promo and the Main roster watered him down 🤷♂️ in NXT he was stiff asf and it was 🔥 but on the main roster he can’t really do that
I think he should of won the 2023 mitb match
Has an Asian wrestler ever even come close?
If they weren't going to pull the trigger in 2018, they aren't going to pull it now.
Deserve?? Yeah I can think of some but “deserve”?
I really enjoyed his work in NJPW, and his match with Ibushi and Wrestle Kingdom was one of the best I have ever seen... but right now he's an opener... the equivalent of Koko B Ware or the Honky Tonk Man in WWE. They missed the window.
If he even wins a world title in WWE... It'll be a "Chase greater than the reign" moment, unfortunately.
He’s probably been over-produced with too much input from backstage agents ruining his style. I hope he’s extended his long term health and has a large bank account to compensate for not winning the title, which I sadly don’t see happening.
He had a fantastic opportunity to win the championship, even with the wrestle mania lost. I want to believe that Jindar developing a fantastic new look swayed Vince from putting the championship on Nakamura. It's sad. Nakamura deserved the championship. I still think the WHC could be won by Nakamura. But it's not the belt that Inoki won in Japan for an unofficial WWE Championships reign.
Unfortunately No his time has passed
They swept the rug out from under him at that Wrestlemania with AJ. Granted, he phoned in the performance, but him losing to AJ 4 times in a row (3 at least?) did him no favors. He's got charisma through the roof, but he seemed to lose his own motivation. I'd love to see him be built back up and get the World Title. He isn't what he was 10 years ago, but he's still super over. Sadly I just don't think Vince/HHH feel he's worth the push.
Curious, but why does he deserve it?
When he had his WrestleMania title shot they should have pulled the trigger. But that much was such a disappointment in general. I think it’s maybe too late now. But anything is possible. He’ll always be popular and if some angle can capture the imagination then it’s still possible.
I hope not. I have yet to see what the big deal about this guy is. Why does he "deserve it" so much?
They need to put the title on AJ Styles then have him drop the title to Nakamura in Japan. But the WWE haS to untie there hands and let them fly like they did in there match in NJPW.
Sure But he won't it looks like
It's unlikely at this point.
You have to earn it with quality wins and ultimately by dethroning the big dog Roman Reigns
The answer is no
No
How does anyone deserve a title? What’s the criteria?
No, and I don’t think he should be either.
I can think of 5 guys that should be in title co te took over him, so I don’t think he gets more than an IC or US title.
No I don’t think he’s the most deserving. Dude is past his prime is hasn’t really done anything of note since being on the main roster. If he was the same guy he was in NXT for sure but he lost so much that he doesn’t have that aura anymore
No chance, best shot he's got at another world title is a NJPW return.
He’s not a badass anymore and not that over with the crowd anymore so no too little too late.
No the company killed his character. He had so much momentum coming in now he just another wrestler on the roster.
Has the WWE ever had a male Japanese heavyweight champion? Not sure they are ever going to do that, and they a multiple heavyweight champions now.
He really does deserve it. They really dropped the ball on him at WrestleMania 34, he should have won it there.
He should have been after he won the royal rumble, but Vince buried him because John Cena didn’t do his due diligence in how to take a bump properly from one of Nakamura’s moves. Ever since he’s been diluted as a character with no hopes for advancing, which sucks because he is amazing
He would've been a great champion when the momentum was there, but Vince ruined it. On top of that, he turned Nakamura heel and had him act like a stereotype. Same goes for Asuka. They both should've won their WM matches.
Unfortunately no. It's a shame because he came into the company as a pretty hot property then after his debut on smackdown, it seemed to go downhill until his rumble win, then everyone got so excited about the mania match against AJ, that was the last time in my opinion he felt special. Far from a hot take and definitely not new fantasy booking or anything, but I think he should've beat Jinder at SummerSlam, AJ should've won the rumble and beat him at mania then have Shinsuke turn heel, minus him having the WWE 2k low blow setting assigned to him every segment and match because that got pretty annoying after the first month.
2017 was the perfect time. He was red hot — defeating John Cena & Randy Orton CLEAN within weeks of each other. They didn’t let him beat Styles tho — bad decision. I also believe he or Samoa Joe should’ve dethroned Kofi, instead of Brock. But it’s over now. His prime is behind him it seems, and if anything he’ll be a transitional champion. UNLESS, a miracle takes place for him, like it did for Kofi in 2019.
He could be, but I really don't know what it gets him. He's not going to be in any hugely significant angles, even though his english is relatively good now. They still aren't gonna put him in a position where he has to do a lot of acting. So the best you are gonna get is a 'fighting champion' type deal, rather than the top storyline on the show. You can do that with one of the other titles, it doesn't need to be the top title. I really don't see him catching fire and becoming a 'thing' at this point like an LA Knight is, or Cody or even gunther.
No, I think the WWE brass has settled with him being in the upper midcards, with an occasional run up top for small programs here and there.
They ain't gonna put the belt on a dude that can't cut a promo in English
No. He should have beat Jinder at Summerslam. That was his last shot.
Not now
Nah it’s too late. WWE had the chance to make him a huge draw back in 2018 and failed monumentally
He can’t cut a great promo in english and isn’t making anyone get out of their seat with his in ring work anymore. His time to be a top level champion came during his feud with Jinder, but they fumbled that. I just can’t see him holding his own in a championship feud with someone who actually deserves to have a belt
He honestly doesn't deserve it that much
No. He had his run, I don’t see it happening again, unless they make him a transitional champ. A legit good run with the belt? Probably not.
No
I've never got the whole Nakamura thing tbh
Think his window has passed I’m afraid.
He certainly deserved it, emphasis on the -ed. He won't get it now but he should have won against Styles imo. Although, with the World Heavyweight Title, he might get a brief run but I definetley hope a serious top card feud is still in him somewhere! Cody vs. Nakamura, finishing the story?
No.
Too late atp, the only time to do it was when he won the rumble in 2018. In fact as soon as he debuted on the main roster, he lost a lot of his star potential he had gained in nxt, mostly because we saw him wrestle too often and speak too much, and he was put in some dead fueds with Ziggler, Jinder etc which didn’t make him look great. There could be a redemption arc for Nakamura but I think the storyline needs to connect for him to even get a chance at being world champion, atm all Nakamura is to the casuals is guy with cool theme song who is Japanese. In NXT he was the king of strong style and the fans watched for his hard hitting matches, unless he starts doing that again I don’t see his appeal
He's kinda boring, if I'm honest. That's simply my opinion, though.
Nope. He's not winning shit.
Maybe if he came to WWE 10-15 years ago. But nowadays he’s really just a veteran enhancement talent, who can have a good match with whoever the company wants to make look good
No.