5 WWE Wrestlers Who Should Jump To AEW (And 5 Who Shouldn't)

5. SHOULDN'T - Shinsuke Nakamura

Ali Cesaro
WWE.com

The Artist or Shin is often cited on such lists, likely because he is often referred to as The Artist or Shin and it is appalling that such an otherworldly ass-kicker is confused with a friend of Michael Cole's.

The WWE fans who only watch WWE have no idea how good Shinsuke Nakamura is, or was. He was a phenomenal wrestler gifted with an hilarious, mischievous charisma. However, the explosions that once propelled him across the ring, in awesome sequences that saw him almost stomp brains out of eyeballs, have long deserted him. And as a result, so too has his dangerous aura.

Even when given the time on pay-per-view, Nakamura hasn't brought the old fireworks. He worked a very good match with Seth Rollins at Survivor Series 2018, but it wasn't an unforgettable classic. It represented the best stage on which to exhibit his talent - he wasn't weighed down by methodical b*llock-punching "storytelling" - and the match still lacked the surging, breathless drama of old. It was, in short, the best opportunity to prove that he was better than the creative and cared about more than surfing.

He didn't prove it, and if he's going to jump anywhere, he should return to NJPW a richer man to mount a legacy-restoring twilight years run.

Contributor
Contributor

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!