3 Ups & 6 Downs From WWE SmackDown (June 25)

4. “Kingsuke”

Shinsuke Nakamura Rick Boogs
WWE.com

Please don't say this is going to become a weekly whinge.

First off, it's nice to see that 'King' gimmick off Baron Corbin and onto someone else. However, one must question why WWE are going all in on this if they're then going to present another King Of The Ring tournament later this year.

That's a bit backwards. Surely, if you really stop to think about it, this "Kingsuke" business should be reserved for afterwards. Forget the name for a second, because that's a side issue. Some don't like it and that's fine, but Nakamura is good enough to make "Kingsuke" work. Again though, shouldn't he be KOTR first?

Say WWE hold the tourney in September/October. That'd give Shin just three-four months with his new gimmick before handing it off to someone else. That's not enough. Naka will end up winning KOTR anyway, won't he? That'd make this even more stupid.

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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.