6 Shocks That Happened At WWE WrestleMania 34

3. Shinsuke Nakamura's Heel Turn

Asuka STREAK OVER
WWE.com

AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura couldn't possibly live up to its astronomical pre-match expectations. The hype was impossibly high, and while the duo delivered a good, solid bout, it'd be a stretch to call it "great," or anything close to worthy of its lofty "Dream Match" billing. Somehow, they conspired to lose the crowd's interest after just a few minutes, and struggled to win them back with work that was technically sound and functional, but lacking in drama.

Ultimately, though, the bout will be remembered for one thing: Shinsuke Nakamura's villainy.

'The King Of Strong Style' pulled an almighty swerve in defeat, sticking a knife in AJ's back after congratulating him on his victory. From there, he beat his new foe down, and laid him out with a Kinshasa on the outside of the ring, before making his exit from a stunned, hushed arena.

The turn is a huge shake-up for SmackDown's main event scene, and if it brings back some of the old, violent flavour that permeated Nakamura's New Japan work, fans are in for a treat. Suddenly, the blue brand just became a lot more interesting.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for eight years and is currently WhatCulture's Wrestling Channel Manager. 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.