7 Ups & 2 Downs From WWE SmackDown (June 18)

Downs...

2. A Pre-King Of The Ring Crowning

Shinsuke Nakamura Rick Boogs
WWE

If WWE are intent on bringing back King Of The Ring, then this is an odd choice.

Shinsuke Nakamura is being hyped as the "One True King" of SmackDown, and that could cause problems when the tourney happens a few months from now. After all, if Naka can beat 'King' Corbin in a short series of matches and steal his crown, then why would anybody need to win KOTR?

Being honest, WWE could've done more with this feud. People rag on Corbin, but he and Shin have chemistry together. It's just a pity that their matches have been too short to really mean anything - the addition of Rick Boogs has done nothing for Nakamura either. He's hanging around like a bad smell.

Maybe SmackDown's writers know a blue brand worker is winning the next KOTR and want to set up a natural feud against new 'King' Naka. If not, then this is all unbelievably pointless and the kind of thing that'll be forgotten about when King Of The Ring hype starts.

Advertisement
Contributor

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.