He Deserves It (Clap, Clap, ClapClapClap) He Deserves It!

December 5, 2024

The legend that is Shinsuke Nakamura has added another title run to his illustrious career. WWE has repackaged him, and I’m loving the Ronin Samurai Warrior character. The last time we saw something like this was with Albert as Lord Tensai, which, let’s just say, was culturally wild but not entirely out of character for WWE. While I wasn’t crazy about the music change, it fits his heel gimmick by being more ominous and less of a chantable anthem for fans.

This man was a 3-time IWGP Champion in NJPW and remains the youngest IWGP Champion in history. After transitioning to America, he dominated NXT, becoming a 2-time NXT Champion with memorable wins at TakeOver and TakeOver: Brooklyn. Despite his 2018 Royal Rumble victory, it always felt like WWE dropped the ball with him. While he’s gone on to win multiple mid-card titles, Nakamura has always deserved more.

Now, he’s in his anime villain arc and absolutely crushing it with his promos. It’s clear that WWE’s decision-makers still see value in this seasoned veteran. After defeating LA Knight at Survivor Series, Nakamura is now a 3-time United States Champion, and it’s a title reign that is well-deserved.