10 Best WWE Pay-Per-View Debuts Ever

7. Shinsuke Nakamura (Backlash 2017)

Shinsuke Nakamura
WWE.com

Shinsuke Nakamura is the first Japanese wrestler in WWE to be pushed without any of the stereotypical, borderline racist tropes of previous countrymen. His success shouldn't be overlooked either, because it was never a given that casual fans would embrace Nakamura's hard strikes or unique personality.

At Backlash 2017, people proved that a New Japan stalwart could thrive in WWE. The reaction Nakamura received for his curtain jerker opposite Dolph Ziggler was magical. In just one match, WWE's decision to hold back on Shinsuke's first main roster bout until pay-per-view paid off.

Looking like he was ready to take over the entire company and make it his own, Nakamura entered a slick performance that positioned him nicely as one of SmackDown's premier babyfaces. It may have been painful to wait so long for Nakamura on the main roster, but patience was rewarded.

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Lifelong wrestling, video game, music and sports obsessive who has been writing about his passions since childhood. Jamie started writing for WhatCulture in 2013, and has contributed thousands of articles and YouTube videos since then. He cut his teeth penning published pieces for top UK and European wrestling read Fighting Spirit Magazine (FSM), and also has extensive experience working within the wrestling biz as a manager and commentator for promotions like ICW on WWE Network and WCPW/Defiant since 2010. Further, Jamie also hosted the old Ministry Of Slam podcast, and has interviewed everyone from Steve Austin and Shawn Michaels to Bret Hart and Trish Stratus.