10 Disturbing Wrestling Bumps That Nearly Went Badly Wrong

3. Shinsuke Nakamura Botches Suplex On John Cena

Spike Seth Rollins
WWE

A simple miscommunication is all that separates perfect execution from high danger.

This miscommunication marred one of the stranger matches in WWE canon: John Cena and Shinsuke Nakamura's improbable worlds-collision of a dream match that doubled as a number one contender's bout for...Jinder Mahal's WWE Heavyweight Championship. This was more backwards than a reverse f*cking Battle Royal.

In the heat of the battle, Nakamura positioned John Cena for a reverse power slam, and threw the requisite weight behind it. Cena, however, readied himself to take a backdrop, and landed flush on his head and neck. This botched echoed the grisly Chris Benoit/Sabu incident that earned the former his enterprising 'Crippler' nickname, but fortunately, Cena, as a superhuman, escaped serious harm. Nakamura was visibly apologetic in the aftermath, but a more mature Cena did not blame him nor thwart his progress.

And if there were a plot to punish Nakamura through a "Nice briefcase ya got there" blue-balls injection, Baron Corbin helpfully unravelled it by arguing heatedly with a medical professional.

Nakamura still lost.

To Jinder Mahal.

Would you give half a f*ck after that?

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Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!