Will Shinsuke Nakamura Be WWE Champion?

[Uncle Sam]

Something doing the rounds a lot recently is this video of Chris Jericho kissing Shinsuke's Nakamura's arse:

https://www.instagram.com/p/BHUopr_hYHL/

If you don't want to watch the video - and I can't blame you, that's an entire twenty seconds out of your day - then I'll summarise it thusly: Chris Jericho, after a match on WWE's recent tour of Japan, publicly tells Shinsuke Nakamura that Nakamura is very good and will be a future WWE Champion.

Jericho gives out praise like your grandparents give out Werther's Originals and I've no doubt this is hyperbole to get a cheer out of the crowd. That said, it still brings up the question - what is Nakamura's ceiling?

The implications of Nakamura becoming world champion would be many. Japanese stars in WWE have varied from jokes who have their speech dubbed over on live television to people who are actually Samoan. Unsurprisingly, Nakamura would be the first Japanese WWE Champion.

While both were signed more or less simultaneously, AJ Styles, another high profile NJPW alum, went straight to the main roster while Nakamura went to NXT. AJ Styles obviously has the benefits of being an American and, while many would like to disregard it, an eleven year career in TNA. This possibly speaks to WWE's confidence in each wrestler and who they feel is the mainstream star and who, for the time being at least, they consider to be niche.

While Nakamura has flourished in NXT, particularly in comparison to the bumpy ride that his compatriot Hideo Itami had to endure, we know that doesn't always translate to success on the main roster. Even the likes of Sami Zayn have to contend with a warm but no longer messianic relationship with the audience of WWE's mainstream shows.

I'm going to have to get a pillow for this fence, it's proper uncomfortable.

 

[Y 2 Jake]

Sam, they're introducing two world titles, he'll be a multi-time world champion. On Smackdown.

As for being WWE Champion, I doubt that very much.

 

[Uncle Sam]

Sam, they're introducing two world titles, he'll be a multi-time world champion. On Smackdown.

Look, I can't keep track of all these variables, and that's at least two.

The main reason I'm looking forward to a second world title is the amount of people I like who would never otherwise get that bit of prestige added to the Accomplishments section on their Wikipedia page getting it. The Christians and Mark Henrys of this world.

But I think people like Sami Zayn could get it regardless, and I'm 50% sure that Nakamura could do the same.

 

[Jack-Hammer]

I've enjoyed Nakamura since his arrival in NXT but there's such a hype surrounding guys like Nakamura, Tanahashi and Okada that if you're expecting Nakamura to have some sort of abilities inside the ring or as a character that no one else can possess, then you're going to be disappointed. Within the past year or so, I've become a bit more familiar with these guys thanks to YouTube and I've come to realize that just like many of us in regards to American wrestlers, guys like Dave Meltzer have exaggerated the abilities of these guys because he's just a flat out huge mark for Japanese wrestling. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that Nakamura isn't a lot of fun to watch, but he's not some untouchable god by any stretch of the imagination.

The biggest obstacle to Nakamura becoming WWE Champion is Vince McMahon himself. Nakamura is someone that Vince just might not know what to do with and may not listen to the advice of others who might know what to do with him out of sheer petulance. Nakamura's style is much different from guys that Vince often takes a personal shine to, he doesn't have a particularly good "look", doesn't have a great physique, has an unusual type of charisma that doesn't rely on the usual American machismo that Vince has a liking for, etc. Again, it's not that Nakamura isn't a good wrestler, it's just that he's so different that he might flat out just puzzle Vince.

WWE looks to be moving in a direction that isn't so American centered or, at the very least, is heading in a direction in which it no longer exists within this bubbled environment. In my opinion, it's a direction WWE needs to go because sticking with Vince's outdated creative perspectives won't be enough in the long run. As for Nakamura, there's a possibility, however remote, that he won't come to the main roster because even though he's in NXT, he's making main roster money. After all, most NXT wrestlers make $25,000 to $50,000 per year and Nakamura wasn't going to leave a lucrative gig in New Japan to make a fraction of what he was earning. If Vince doesn't feel that he progresses enough in terms of speaking English or if he really is stymied by him, he may just decide to leave him in NXT.

 

[Charismatic Enigma]

I have a very hard time picturing it, and I'm a totally mark for Nakamura. There have been numerous instances of guys who were white hot and easily could've been champion and never got it for whatever reason like Zack Ryder, and there have been guys like Cesaro who were quickly ascending there "but maybe doesn't connect because he's Swiss" that all of a sudden get the rug pulled out from under their momentum.

Nakamura barely speaks English, and is currently 36 years old. When/If he gets called up, I suspect he'll be put in very physical matches against guys like Owens, Zayn, AJ, Cesaro...basically guys of the same pedigree as him, probably throw him in a few MITB matches to get peoples hopes up, but ultimately he probably ends his stint in WWE with the IC belt or something before going back to Japan.

I'd love to be proven wrong, but along with never having a black champion, WWE's never had an Asian champion, and I don't really see that changing anytime soon.

 

[shooter_mcgavin]

Nakamura being WWE Champion is kind of like a wait and see type thing. What helps him is that there will now be two World Titles once the brand split happens again.

I'd love to be proven wrong, but along with never having a black champion, WWE's never had an Asian champion, and I don't really see that changing anytime soon.

The possibility of trying to expand WWE globally might especially in Asia might factor in if they decide to put the title on him.

What I do like about how NXT has handled Nakamura is that, unlike in previous years, when you are Asian, especially Japanese, the WWE tends to put you into an Asian gimmick and based your character about you being Asian or a foreigner. Normally it was foreigner/Asian first and in ring performer/athlete second.

For Nakamura it's different it seems like besides his accomplishments in Japan him being Japanese is something relegated in the background. So a lot of fans and how NXT has handled him seems to focus on Nakamura as a wrestler and not him being Asian.

 

[Navi]

Nakamura barely speaks English, and is currently 36 years old. When/If he gets called up, I suspect he'll be put in very physical matches against guys like Owens, Zayn, AJ, Cesaro...basically guys of the same pedigree as him, probably throw him in a few MITB matches to get peoples hopes up, but ultimately he probably ends his stint in WWE with the IC belt or something before going back to Japan.

You say you're a mark for Nakamura yet you don't even know that he speaks English very well, and has done since he arrived. Yes he does it with a fairly heavy accent, but he can hold a conversation with anyone. Itami is the one who couldn't hardly speak English at all.

On topic I see no reason other than Vince himself, why Nakamura shouldn't be champ one day. He is like a breath of fresh air on the roster. Very unique, fantastic in the ring, kicks like a donkey and has charisma up the wazhoo. I agree with JH that Vince might stop it mainly because of where he came from, the indies, but Ambrose did as well and look at him now. Same with Rollins and Daniel Bryan, so times might be a changing.

The next couple of years might be very interesting with Balor, Owens, Nakamura (who should be on the main roster soon), Shield guys and Styles in the hunt for the titles. Unfortunately that means that some who should have probably got a run like Cesaro will have to fall back on being US or IC champion. I doubt he will get a title run now, just too many bigger names ahead of him.

So yea bring Nakamura up and let him sink his teeth into some of the bigger names. His entrance at Mania next year will be epic as I have no doubt the fans will love him.

 

[OYDK]

It could happen. It really depends on how he's recieved on the main roster. If the fans warm up to him even half as much as the NXT crowds have, it will be something special. If that happens, I can't see him not, at the least, sniffing the main event picture. It's a good time for somebody like Nakamura, WWE is really starting to expand into the Asian market and, much like they did with Bret and the Canadian market, they could give him the belt as a way to bridge that gap. It could be an integral part of that process. Again, that's only a possibility if he's half as over and effective on the main roster as he is in NXT.

The thing is, Nakamura is basically treated like a God by the hardcore indy fed fans so there really wasn't much doubt in my mind that he was going to get a hero's reception when he debuted in NXT. The main roster crowd is a completely different story, they might not warm up as much to the uber-unique character that Nakamura is. For my money, if anybody could break that mold as the first Asian WWE Champion I would think that guy is Nakamura. At one period in time, he was amongst the most popular and revered wrestlers in the entire world even compared to guys like Cena, he still is quite frankly.

In my opinion, Nakamura is the best Asian talent seen in a major American wrestling company since The Great Muta, and anybody who knows me knows I'm a huge Muta mark. I don't make the comparison lightly.

Time will tell, but if I were to bet right now, I'd wager yes.

 

[The Yes Guy]

No.

The problem with WWE recently has been the severe lack of people you could showcase as the Champions of your company.

People like Sami Zayn, Cesaro, Itami, Nakamura, etc. etc. will get the Neville treatment. They will never rise above the IC title wins and the odd MITB matches.

The Reason? Lack of Personality.!

You want the Owens and the Balors and Wyatts to be your Champions.
We tend to forget the connection that a Champ needs with the casual audience. To be able to get into a 'feud' with anyone and make it work. Places like NJPW are ok with wrestlers having quality matches day after day. But WWE is about being able to tell a story.
People like Nakamura don't have that.

 

[Blade]

Nakamura

Lack of Personality.!

This is stupid. Mind-blowingly stupid. Are you saying this because he's Japanese of something? Or have you just never watched one of his matches before? In actuality, Nakamura has more personality and charisma in his scrotum hairs than most of the WWE roster at the moment.

Anyway, mind-blowing stupidity aside, Nakamura, for all his charisma, might be a bit too weird to really get over enough with the WWE Universe. He's over in NXT because of his background and his matches. He was over in Japan because he beat the shit out of people and had a fighting spirit, so to speak. But his character is essentially a spastic hipster ninja. I don't know how the average WWE fan is going to react to that.

Then again, we live in a world where Daniel Bryan was the hottest thing in wrestling, and where Dean Ambrose is holding the WWE title over the other two members of the Shield. So maybe people don't mind weird shit as much as they used to, Vince included.

 

[wrestler36]

This will be the deciding factor and will limit him. Maybe on a future tour of Japan, I can see him winning on a house show, only to lose it a few days later, but I can't see him winning in America, at least not more than a few weeks. I can't see his King of Strong Style character appealing to the masses, which is what the E is always trying to do.

 

[Jeff Deliverer of Mail]

Being champion is not going to amount to much in the next few weeks as another World Championship belt will be in the picture. He probably will grab a championship, either Raw World or Smack World championship.

 

[Radical]

With brand split happening, I'm confident he has all the tools and ability and character to become at least World Champ on SmackDown.

As for the WWE's precious WWE title? I don't know. I would love to see it. But based on WWE's history you can't really be surprised if it doesn't happen.

 

[Deoxyribonucleic A.C.I.D.]

I The Great Khali managed to become a World Champion only to attract the Indian audience, then I don't see why Nakamura can't become one to attract the Japanese audience.

Being a world champ is about two things: in-ring ability and charisma. Nakamura has both.

Those with just in-ring ability become great upper-mid card wrestlers and those with just charisma become great mid carders.

But I don't see why Nakamura can't become a World Champion, especially with the brand split coming and the introduction of a second world title.

Remember that Sheamus, Alberto Del Rio, Jack Swagger, Kane, Great Khali, Christian, Miz, Henry and JBL became world champions due to the brand split. IMO Nakamura is better than them and thus, he can easily become a multi-time world champion.

EDIT: Since you asked about specifiacally the WWE Championship though, does it really matter which World title he will be winning? I dare you to go to Triple H and tell him that his 5 World Heavyweight Championship reigns aren't as prestigious as his reigns as WWE Champion. Or tell that to The Undertaker, or Batista, or Edge. At the end of day, it's not the name of the belt that matters, but who's holding it. From 2002-2010, both belts were equal. That changed when WWE stopped caring about SD and guys like Rey Mysterio, Swagger and Kane became World Champions. And later Sheamus and Daniel Bryan (specifiacally talking for his 2012 run).

 

[Psykohurricane55]

it depends on a couple of things,

the first one would be how the WWE universe takes to him on a regular basis. The guys is super over on NXT and i get that but it'S one thing to be over on NXT it's a complete different thing on the main roster. In NXT pretty much everybody knows who he is because it'S mostly members of The IWC that makes up that crowd, same thing for the bigger nxt takeover shows, it's mostly fans that watch nxt on a regular basis that goes to these shows but on the main rosters, you got a mix of different fanbase and not all of them watch NXT or new japan so they might not know or take to him right away and it could make vince mcmahon think that he's not over enough to be a top guy.

Secondly, It also depends if Vince McMahon is the one making the final decisions for both Raw and Smackdown. If he is then they're a good chance that Shinsuke will have is work cut out for him because the one think that Vince as never been able to booked properly is wrestlers from foreign country especially asian. Just look at how hideo itami got book at wrestlemania last year or pretty much any other asian wrestlers wwe had since Vince bought it from his dad. If those guys don't take off and get a huge reaction from the crowd right away and keep that fan support then you're done and you will linger in the mid-card. Kenzo sazuki is the perfect exemple of that. Here a guy that vince was really big on when theu sign him ten year ago, he wanted him to be a top heel for the company and did push him as a top heel, then after a couple of month, he realise that the fans we'rent reacting and he drop his push and got stuck in comedy segment and in the mid card for the rest of his career until he got release.

So Shinsuke, got the charisma to get over, the guy is amazing and let face it, his in-ring isn't the greatest thing ever, but that not a bad thing because everything he does look like it's hurt and that what count in the end. The only problem could be that vince see him do all these funny face and stuff that he does to have the fans cheering and don'T understand the whole think and decided to make him a comedy wrestler, that would be the death nail for shinsuke, so time will tell if nakamura will be champion on day, i really doubt it but if HHH is in charged of smackdown, he might have a chance.

 

[swallop]

If they were smart then yes. This is a great opportunity to take a shot in the dark and see if the ratings spike. Do some video packages hyping him up then show packages of him defeating top NXT stars. Hopefully he will stay undefeated until he reaches WWE, Harp on the fact hes never been beaten and then a star is born have him defeat john cena for the world title and see where it goes.

 

[rmp0012002]

Going back to split champions they're nothing more that TV titles and after a little while everyone on the roster holds them so they don't really mean anything. Unlike Styles, Nakamura and the others Vince bought aren't really there for a push, just to say they're on the WWE roster and to keep them from working for another company.

 

[therockiswwf]

I have a very hard time picturing it, and I'm a totally mark for Nakamura. There have been numerous instances of guys who were white hot and easily could've been champion and never got it for whatever reason like Zack Ryder, and there have been guys like Cesaro who were quickly ascending there "but maybe doesn't connect because he's Swiss" that all of a sudden get the rug pulled out from under their momentum.

Zack Ryder was never world title material. He had great midcard potential but never world title. Cesaro's promos were awful. That is why he was depushed, not because he is Swiss (remember the context in which McMahon said that). That tag team he was in was perfect. Cesaro wouldn't have to be the main focus so he could work on his outside the ring stuff. He is almost like Reigns where the less talking he does, the better. I don't see him as a long reign world title guy. Maybe a transitional reign but never the main focus.

I will say Cesaro today is better than Cesaro of WM XXX.

I'd love to be proven wrong, but along with never having a black champion, WWE's never had an Asian champion, and I don't really see that changing anytime soon.

Well you know except The Rock, Mark Henry and Booker T.

Will Nakamura be a world champion? I don't know. I fear his style is not suited for the US audience. He needs to incorporate a little more variety into his moveset beyond a ton of strikes. Sheamus is a guy who can do a hard hitting style but also incorporates some moves in as well despite being a guy who could get away with hammering the crap out of everyone. I can't see Nakamura's style being good against a Sheamus, Lesnar, Kane, Show type of guy. I think he will have success on the main roster but I just cannot envision him yet as a world champion.

The biggest problem with finding guys of non-US origin that can be top WWE guys is down to statistics. The majority of people who live in the US are white. The majority of people in the world who speak English (I'm assuming on this one) are also white. Usually you need to speak English in order to succeed in WWE. Now with only a small portion of people becoming wrestlers, the statistics say most wrestlers suited for WWE (those that speak English) will probably be white. WWE also prefers taller guys meaning the number of wrestlers that suit them grow even smaller. Lets say they want someone from China. They have to find one that decided to be a wrestler, is tall, speaks English (or is willing to learn) and is willing to move to the US. That is not an easy task. If they manage to find that, that guy also has to be good and get over if he is going to be a world champion. Finding quality international guys suited for WWE is not a simple task and that is the reason their WWE champions haven't been that diverse.

 

[Navi]

The biggest problem with finding guys of non-US origin that can be top WWE guys is down to statistics. The majority of people who live in the US are white. The majority of people in the world who speak English (I'm assuming on this one) are also white. Usually you need to speak English in order to succeed in WWE. Now with only a small portion of people becoming wrestlers, the statistics say most wrestlers suited for WWE (those that speak English) will probably be white. WWE also prefers taller guys meaning the number of wrestlers that suit them grow even smaller. Lets say they want someone from China. They have to find one that decided to be a wrestler, is tall, speaks English (or is willing to learn) and is willing to move to the US. That is not an easy task. If they manage to find that, that guy also has to be good and get over if he is going to be a world champion. Finding quality international guys suited for WWE is not a simple task and that is the reason their WWE champions haven't been that diverse.

Geez you couldn't really have found a worse way to put it could you. You make the WWE sound extremely racist in that only a white, English speaking US citizen could ever be suited to hold the title.

I guess that means that Sheamus, Jericho and other wrestlers from outside the US, their title runs were a mistake. You know that might be one of the biggest problems with the WWE right now. They should be promoting diversity, considering that they are a global wrestling company and wrestlers from other countries being shunned would turn off millions of fans.

The WWE is trying to make inroads into the Japanese and Chinese markets where wrestling is huge. Someone like Nakamura being champ would go a long way to bring those fans over.

 

[shafe_41]

Honestly, I think he will. I get the whole "he's of foreign descent" argument... but Nakamura is different. He can cut a promo. He has more charisma than 90% of the locker room. He's already polarizing and hasn't been around more than like 3 months. His entrance alone gets people on their feet. It's special. And he's got that rare quality that he's a face... and he's already got about 100% of the crowd behind him in a match. Now obviously that will be a little different in his match with Balor, but your typical face/heel match, people pull for the guy. He's different enough that it's crazy enough to work but not so different that it would feel weird with him as champion. Picture the WWE Championship on his shoulder. You know you can do it. It just fits there.

If we wind up with two world titles, he will certainly be a champion. Which is the way things are looking right now. Honestly... he's a guy that just LOOKS like a world champion. There's something about the belt on him that just seems very very legit. I won't even pretend to know a lot about Nakamura because I don't. I've seen very little of his pre-WWE work. Something about him just seems special. I can't put my finger on it. As someone else said, look who was champion during the brand split before. Nakamura is so much better than over half of them. If not all of them. Plus just look at the matches. Against a heel Owens, a heel Ambrose, Rollins, Cena, Balor, AJ, etc... This guy could have just amazing feuds.

It's going to happen. It's going to happen multiple times. That group of Cena, Orton, HHH, etc... don't need that title anymore. Maybe Cena and Orton get it one more time or something to help legitimize a new champion, but AJ Styles and The Shield guys can't hold both titles forever. Nakamura will hold it multiple times and it wouldn't shock me to see him hold both titles multiple times.

 

[therockiswwf]

Geez you couldn't really have found a worse way to put it could you. You make the WWE sound extremely racist in that only a white, English speaking US citizen could ever be suited to hold the title.

I guess that means that Sheamus, Jericho and other wrestlers from outside the US, their title runs were a mistake. You know that might be one of the biggest problems with the WWE right now. They should be promoting diversity, considering that they are a global wrestling company and wrestlers from other countries being shunned would turn off millions of fans.

The WWE is trying to make inroads into the Japanese and Chinese markets where wrestling is huge. Someone like Nakamura being champ would go a long way to bring those fans over.

You completely misunderstood what I said. I have no idea why you thought I meant people from non US origins having title runs were a mistake. Jack Swagger world champion was a mistake. Jericho world champion was awesome. Also you either do not understand what statistics are or ignored it.

I said WWE looks for a few things. Size, ability to speak English (few exceptions like Khali) and willingness to relocate. That means primarily they are going to look for wrestlers in the US. Most wrestlers in the US are willing to relocate (they don't have to go to another country) and speak English. Most wrestlers in China probably do not want to relocate and don't speak English. Don't stop here, the next paragraph is important.

Now lets say WWE wants someone from China. They have to find someone who speaks English (unless there is something very special about them that circumvents the need for promo ability). Then from the portion that speaks English, find someone who is interested in wrestling/is a wrestler. Then from that portion find someone who has the size they like (not a necessity). Then from that portion find someone who is willing to relocate to the US. Then from that portion the wrestler has to be one of the few guys to reach the main event scene. That is a subset of a subset of a subset of a population. It's much different than in Canada where they mostly speak English. In China, they mostly speak Chinese. It's not impossible, it's just that the pool of suitable talent is much smaller and harder to find.

I'm not saying they shouldn't get international wrestlers. I'm saying that's a very reasonable explanation for why their WWE champions haven't been hugely diverse. It's statistics.

Not being able to speak English for a WWE guy basically means they are a mute. Now some guys can get away with never saying a word. But most guys need to do promos in English to get over in WWE. You can use a manager to get around this but WWE doesn't use that many managers anymore.

It is harder for WWE to find international guys in China, Japan, Russia, etc. than it is to find guys in the US. Based off statistics, the majority of US wrestlers are probably white. Meaning the majority of WWE wrestlers will be white because the majority of guys they sign will probably be from the US. Statistics aren't racist, it's math. It's not on purpose. It just happens to be this way.

Getting mad at WWE for not having huge diversity in their WWE champions is like asking WWE to pull a blue ball from a bag that contains 50 red balls and one blue ball. This is not a literal analogy but it's close. You're asking them to continuously pull that one blue ball out numerous times. They can try as hard as they can to get the blue ball but the red balls simply outnumber them. Meaning they are likely to pull the red ball out a high number of times. Not on purpose but because the math says so.

WWE is globally distributed but mainly US based. So English is important as they make most of their money from the US.

Try to sell something in the US but don't use one word of English. Guess what, it will be incredibly hard. Why? Because most of the people in the US speak English. That isn't racist. That's something called a language barrier.

My post was in response to a guy saying he would love to be wrong but WWE has never had an Asian champion and he hopes it changes soon. WWE hasn't had an Asian be world champion by accident not on purpose. Statistics give a reason why it's logical that it has never happened and why the chances of it are low.

 

[Psykohurricane55]

To add to the above comment, has seen with most of the nxt talent that got called up, it's harder to get over on the main roster then in nxt. Nakamura as great charisma and looks like a superstar in the small pomd that is nxt, but the way he act and the lack of promos isn't helping him for a main roster main event spot. Rigt now, when I look at him on nxt, I see a mid-card guy waiting to happen on the main roster, he got a comedic style that lends itself to be stuck in the the ic/us title level and that's how vince will see him at first. The only way that he could break the glass ceiling and become world champion would be if he get a huge fans reaction in every arena around the world and is able to impress vince with his promo and in ring abilities and that's easier said then done in his case.

time will tell if he's able to make it to a main event spot, but in this current version of his gimmick, I really doubt it.

 

[OYDK]

One thing to add. Not everybody needs great promo ability to be a champion, especially if they excel in almost every other aspect of the game. Nakamura would be a legitimate champion, a guy who says very little but comes off as extremely difficult to beat in the ring. His style makes him a real threat to even the toughest opponents. He's one of the very few guys I have no problem seeing put Lesnar through a war, hell he's done it before. Even though he doesn't say much in NXT, it works for him because what he DOES say has a lot of impact.

People seem to be throwing Nakamura into this Cena/Rock/Hogan mold but he's a very different breed from those guys. They're not trying to make him the face of the company, he doesn't need to sit out there for 20 minutes and wow people with his speaking ability. There have been many champions who haven't been great talkers like Bret, Sid, Warrior, Taker, Yoko, Khali, and the list goes on and on. All I'm saying is, it takes more than a set list of attributes that must be checked off in order to be a champion, and as I see it, Nakamura is definitely championship material even if he's not going to cut incredible promos.

And of course, there are these things called managers in wrestling to help with that aspect...

 

[Psykohurricane55]

One thing to add. Not everybody needs great promo ability to be a champion, especially if they excel in almost every other aspect of the game. Nakamura would be a legitimate champion, a guy who says very little but comes off as extremely difficult to beat in the ring. His style makes him a real threat to even the toughest opponents. I have no problem seeing him putting Lesnar through a war, hell he's done it before. Even though he doesn't say much in NXT, it works for him because what he DOES say has a lot of impact.

People seem to be throwing Nakamura into this Cena/Rock/Hogan mold but he's a very different breed from those guys. They're not trying to make him the face of the company, he doesn't need to sit out there for 20 minutes and wow people with his speaking ability. There have been many champions who haven't been great talkers like Bret, Sid, Warrior, Taker, Yoko, Khali, and the list goes on and on. All I'm saying is, it takes more than a set list of attributes that must be checked off in order to be a champion, and as I see it, Nakamura is definitely championship material even if he's not going to cut incredible promos.

And of course, there are these things called managers in wrestling to help with that aspect...

I get your point but looking at the list of exemple, except for khali, everybody else while not being great promo could cut interesting promo that get you interesting in them. Yoko had one of the greatest promo guy in the business to cut is promo for him in jim cornette. What I'm saying is if you look at the history of the wwe championship and to a degree the world championship, the one thing that every champion has in common is that they have to either have somebody to be able to cut a 20 minute promo or themselves being able to carried a long promo segment. Nakumara is an interesting character but his style of promo scream mid card comedy wrestler and I'm sure that's how vince will see it as well because while I really enjoy nakumura's work in nxt, he make me thinking of a japanese version of santino everytime he open's his mouth and that bad for a guy that as the potential to be a main event talent.

 

[Navi]

You know there is something I don't get from reading the posts on this thread. A some people seem to think that Nakamura wouldn't make it because of the following reasons. He is from outside the US, English isn't his first language and he wouldn't be able to cut a decent promo.

Well who the hell cares? Firstly he can speak English and does so quite well. The guy has more charisma than most on the main roster right now. Fans get into his matches because he can go like a son of a bitch in the ring. If someone like Roman Reigns who has zero charisma, can't cut a decent promo to save his life and isn't near as good as Nakamura in the ring, can be a 3 time WWE champ, then anyone can.

Nakamura has one thing that a lot of wrestler's on the roster don't have and that is the connection with the crowd. They don't give a shit that English isn't his first language or that he might be a little unique. To me that's a bonus not being a cookie cutter WWE protege. I'll take the uniqueness any day of the week. If you are going to hold Nakamura to a standard then hold all wrestlers to the same standard.