This Sunday at WWE Battleground, Shinsuke Nakamura will battle Mr. Money in the Bank, Baron Corbin. This feud started when Corbin knocked Nakamura out of (most of) the Money in the Bank match, and has only heated up. Take a look at how WWE has treated both of these wrestled since their arrival to the company. Really, it’s safe to assume that Vince McMahon and friends have big plans for both. But who’s going to get the head start this Sunday? Additionally, who should fans expect to come out on top, and why? Let’s find out.
WWE Battleground Preview: Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Baron Corbin
The Case for Nakamura
Since signing him away from NJPW, WWE has treated Shinsuke Nakamura like a rock star. So much so that they’ve started calling him “The Rock Star of the WWE” and “The Artist Known as Shinsuke Nakamura” themselves. And as awkward as that last one sounds, Nakamura truly is an artist when he wrestles.
Watching Nakamura “do his thing” is like watching poetry in motion, as corny as it sounds. He’s arguably the cleanest, hardest-hitting, and just plain best wrestler in the world. If not for AJ Styles, he would absolutely be the best wrestler on the entire planet. So, WWE, please hear my plea. Do not waste the prime wrestling that you currently have in Shinsuke Nakamura. If there’s one man that deserves to be pushed to the moon, it’s the King of Strong Style.
The Case for Corbin
When trying to justify Baron Corbin winning this match, it’s best to look at what we already know about Money in the Bank winners. Specifically, Edge, CM Punk (twice), and Daniel Bryan; what do they all have in common? Well, when they won Money in the Bank, they were a high mid-carder. Between that point, and when they cashed in, they ascended through the ranks and made their way to main event status. So, what does this mean for Baron Corbin? Well, in short, his push could start right now.
How does one start off a mega-push? Beating an established promotion superstar, right? Well, who’s one of, if not the biggest star in the WWE? That’s right; Shinsuke Nakamura. If WWE is truly planning to go all-in on Corbin, they will build him up starting right now. Forget doing a slow burn, Corbin is Mr. Money in the Bank now! However, he still has nearly a full year left to (possibly) hold that briefcase.
Final Prediction
Honestly, this one is pretty hard to call. Sure, Nakamura absolutely deserves to win, basically on merit alone. But at the same time, it’s pretty clear that Baron Corbin is WWE’s “guy” right now. At the end of the day, WWE just needs to mend the career of Shinsuke Nakamura a tiny bit. This one should be an exciting match-up either way, but I’ll go with Nakamura here to try to get him on the right track with SmackDown Live.
