3 Ups & 5 Downs From Last Night's WWE SmackDown (Feb 27)

4. Remember When This Guy Won The Rumble?

Shinsuke Nakamura John Cena
WWE.com

The good news is that the SmackDown booking team finally remembered that Shinsuke Nakamura exists this week. The bad news? Almost everything else.

Like Naomi vs. Ruby Riott, Nak's singles match with Aiden English was fundamentally solid, but the booking was wonky. 'The King Of Strong Style' (and Royal Rumble winner, lest we forget) went 50-50 with 'The Shakespeare Of Song' for just over six minutes. That someone who is ostensibly an enhancement talent can be competitive with a man who'll challenge for the WWE Title at WrestleMania is nuts, and this layout did nothing for Shinsuke.

Nakamura won, of course, but his treatment since winning the Rumble has been bizarre. Securing number one contendership has removed him from the spotlight. Granted, he isn't involved in the current title feud, but the company should be pushing him to the moon at the moment, which just isn't happening.

Let's hope the writers sort this mess out after AJ inevitably retains at Fastlane.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.