WWE Gave Us A Shock Upset At Survivor Series War Games, And I Have Some Questions About Where This Is Going

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As a long-time WWE fan, who’s been through the rollercoaster of emotions with Shinsuke Nakamura’s career, I must say that the unexpected win at Survivor Series was like a breath of fresh air. It’s been a rough ride for us Nakamura supporters, with years of mid-card matches and losses that left many questioning his potential. But this victory feels different; it’s a reminder that sometimes, even in WWE, the underdog can come out on top.

The least well-attended event among WWE’s Big 4 PPVs has concluded, and while there were several unexpected turns of events, one particularly stunning incident outshone them all. Shinsuke Nakamura clinically defeated LA Knight to capture the United States Championship. There was no underhanded help from outside sources, and no lucky pinfall victory for Nakamura. Instead, he delivered a decisive Kinshasa blow and followed through with three hard-earned pinfalls right in the center of the ring. He didn’t even need the mist for this impressive win.

Since Shinsuke Nakamura has been a United States Champion, Intercontinental Champion, tag champion, and Royal Rumble winner, it may not seem surprising, but let me share some details to highlight how isolating it’s been for his fans over the past few years. In late 2023 and early 2024, he had a series of conflicts with Cody Rhodes, ending in three losses, none of which were televised on pay-per-view (PPV). Prior to that, he fought against Seth Rollins, and while their matches did appear on PPVs, Nakamura suffered defeats in both. Going all the way back to 2022, he gained significant popularity teaming up with Rick Boogs (who I still miss by the way), but they lost to The Usos at WrestleMania 38 and disbanded shortly afterward.

As a dedicated gamer, let me tell you, I’ve been racking my brain trying to recall the last time Nakamura won a PPV match. After quite a struggle, I had to resort to the trusty old Internet for help. It seems that his last win was at the pre-show of Survivor Series 2021, where he disqualified Damian Priest after Priest snatched Boogs’ guitar and whacked Nakamura with it. If we exclude that one because it was a pre-show event, then you have to go back to Extreme Rules in 2020 for a Performance Center match during Covid times, where he teamed up with Cesaro to defeat The New Day. That’s more than four years since his last victory!

Indeed, Nakamura and his followers have faced quite a challenging journey throughout 2024, with him being largely absent from television screens until an unexpected comeback in mid-November, sporting a mysterious new image to take on LA Knight. Many, including myself, had predicted an easy win for Knight in this match, a sentiment shared by most fans. They thought Triple H added this fight to the Survivor Series card merely as a means of filling it with non-War Games matches. However, it seems our assumptions were incorrect.

After the Survivor Series last night, the initial amazement has subsided, leaving me with some significant queries. Allow me to pose these questions and share my thoughts on potential answers.

Is LA Knight Going To Stay In The Mid-Card Or Is He Headed For The Main Event?

LA Knight’s popularity hasn’t waned much from last year when he was widely considered one of the most beloved wrestlers in the roster. He consistently draws massive crowd responses and is known for his exceptional mic skills, being on par with The Miz in this regard. Many fans believe he could potentially become World Champion someday. It’s reasonable to speculate that his title shot might come sooner rather than later.

Currently, Knight has two possibilities in the storyline. He can carry on his conflict with Nakamura and aim to reclaim his title, or he could advance beyond this rivalry and venture into the main event circuit. Given his popularity, he could easily confront Gunther, Cody Rhodes, or any other top wrestler, but it’s important to note that the main event scene has a restricted amount of screen time, and everyone vying for it is incredibly popular.

From what I gather, it seems likely that Knight will persevere with Shinsuke and ultimately regain the Championship. This temporary setback appears intended to give him some grit and determination, allowing him to pursue the title again in due time. Only time will tell for certain.

What Does This Mean For Shinsuke Nakamura’s NOAH Match?

In recent times, WWE has been collaborating more extensively with companies other than AEW. This collaboration is particularly evident with TNA, where Jordynne Grace participated in the Royal Rumble and Joe Hendry frequently appears on NXT. Additionally, Nakamura has made appearances in NOAH, a Japanese wrestling promotion. Initially scheduled to wrestle against Ulka Sasaki at NOAH’s event on January 1st, the question arises: Will this match still take place? If it does, will it be for The United States Championship?

It’s challenging to conceive that WWE would let Nakamura lose the title to someone not officially on their roster, but a match might stir excitement in Japan. Over at Cultaholic, they speculate LA Knight could insert himself into this fight, potentially progressing their WWE narrative. Frankly, I’m intrigued and unsure of what will transpire.

Is This A Nice Moment For Nakamura Or The Start Of A Big Run?

Within just under a year after joining the WWE Main Roster, Nakamura astounded everyone by triumphing in the 2018 Royal Rumble match. Many fans anticipated this victory would ignite an extraordinary professional wrestling career. However, six years have passed, and his career trajectory hasn’t followed that path as expected. To clarify, if almost every aspiring pro wrestler were given the choice, they would choose Nakamura’s career in a heartbeat. Yet, a significant portion of Nakamura’s six-year stint has been spent in the mid-card rather than the main event. He’s lost far more major matches than he’s won, and it can be argued that he is one of the least successful Royal Rumble winners ever.

Is WWE using this opportunity to shine some light on Nakamura, or are they planning a long-term strategy to elevate him to the level many fans initially expected? Given that he’s 44 years old, if he is ever going to get a shot at the World Championship, now seems like the ideal moment. His recent victory has given him new energy. This could be his time to shine.

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2024-12-01 18:07