Wrestling fans are buzzing at the amidst rumors surrounding Shinsuke Nakamura, a long-standing star within the WWE franchise since 2016. Known for his captivating performances and a solid fan base in Japan, Nakamura’s upcoming last man standing match against Seth Rollins for the World Heavyweight Championship at Fastlane is piquing interest across the industry.
In a timely report, WWE has struck a new television deal in Japan. WWE SmackDown and WWE Raw, will air on ABEMA, starting October 3rd. With the potential to impact the WWE’s reach to overseas audience, this is a pivotal movement in international markets.
The WWE’s new television partner ABEMA expressed its enthusiasm by releasing advertisements which featured our beloved Superstars. Interestingly, Shinsuke Nakamura found himself in a key position on the WWE RAW graphic, in close parallels to Roman Reigns‘ placement on the SmackDown graphic. Some are speculating that this could hint at Nakamura getting a World Heavyweight Championship shot at Fastlane.
Akin to when WWE gave Jinder Mahal the title as they expanded into the Indian market years ago, it is plausible that Nakamura might be crowned champion as WWE secures its footings in Japan. It’s a move that would also appease Triple H, who has long been a vocal supporter of making Nakamura a champion.
The eye-catching poster also features popular Japanese performers like Akira Tozawa, Karl Anderson, AJ Styles, IYO Sky, Asuka and others who have a solid following in the country. Notably, Nakamura’s image was found to be 2x larger than Seth Rollins on the graphic, sparking speculation about WWE’s future plans.
At the same time, Seth Rollins is battling a semi-real back injury situation, affecting his participation in the ring. The nature of this injury and what it means for the Fastlane event remain unclear. However, this too raises the stakes and interest around what’s next for Nakamura.
Only time will tell what WWE has in store for Shinsuke Nakamura. One thing is for sure: the speculation and anticipation around this are only fueling fans’ passion for the sport. What’s your take? Drop a comment to let us know what you think.
