The word “dream match” is thrown around a lot in wrestling. Every indie wrestling card promotes one match or another as a such. A true dream match is one between two foes that until then only happened in the most ridiculous of “fantasy booking” threads on twitter and Reddit. Usually, the match is between two top stars from two different companies, genres, or eras. Sting vs. Undertaker is the ultimate dream match for some. In this modern time when global wrestling is accessible by anyone, dream matches often involve two big stars from different countries. Usually Japan and the United States. But as the stars of Japan find more success in the United States, we are seeing a lot of these “dreams” come true. That is how we landed on a dream match between two men who revolutionized and dominated wrestling in their respective countries: John Cena vs. Shinsuke Nakamura.
Title shot (and more) on the line
This isn’t just a match though. There are major implications. The winner of this bout goes on to face WWE Champion Jinder Mahal at SummerSlam. The conventional wisdom is that John Cena will win. Because well LOLCenaWins. Like it or not, John Cena is still the top drawing star in WWE. It isn’t even close, really. No one beats him in ratings, ticket sales, and merch. But, he’s getting old. He’s wrestling less and acting in movies more. While it is unfathomable to imagine John Cena not on the SummerSlam card, it is an eventuality WWE had to prepare for. They have to build up stars to replace him. Could that be Nakamura?
According to PWI the winner has been revealed. Click the arrow.
**SPOILER WARNING!***
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Why Shinsuke Nakamura Can Win
For starters, Nakamura has not been pinned since arriving on the SmackDown Live roster. His only losses have come in the Money in the Bank match and on the losing end of a tag match when his partner AJ Styles was pinned by Kevin Owens. WWE is clearly protecting Shinsuke Nakamura Nakamura for something big. Is that “something big” losing to John Cena? Maybe.
Cena being the first person to pin you is hardly an embarrassment. Kevin Owens wasn’t pinned until he squared off against Cena, and he’s been a main event player for well over a year. They also don’t have to worry about Cena “main-eventing” SummerSlam, as the fatal four-way for the Universal Title will likely fill that spot.
*SPOILER*
According to PWinsider and betting odds, Shinsuke Nakamura is set to beat John Cena.
Nakamura himself is about as “over” as you can imagine. The crowd is electric during his entrance and he gets as good a reaction as any other top star. It wouldn’t be ridiculous to give him a title shot at SummerSlam. Shinsuke Nakamura’s entrance at the Party of the Summer would stun. Just look at what he’s done at past NXT Takeovers.
Toronto
Last year in Brooklyn
Whatever star quality and “it factor” there is, Nakamura has it. The man is a star in and out of the ring. He oozes charisma and cuts great promos in a language he is still learning. I think he’d be a great champion, or a foil for the dastardly Jinder Mahal, at least.
What do you think? Share your thoughts in the comments below.