WWE Royal Rumble 2019: Star Ratings For All 10 Matches
9. Shinsuke Nakamura Vs. Rusev - United States Title Match
Markedly inferior to their high quality Fastlane ’18 opener, that match was fought in a brighter timeline for Rusev and Shinsuke Nakamura.
Rusev hadn’t yet been given reason to stop believing in the dawn of Rusev Day; Nakamura, meanwhile, was en route to his WrestleMania 35 dream match. That match was performed by two men with something to prove; this was jogged through by two men with few f*cks left to give.
It was a Championship match in name only, much like the United States Championship is a Championship in name only. Maybe it was a confidence issue, more so than a lack of effort; some of the action resembled the stiff and painful-looking fare you would expect from a thick powerhouse and a strike specialist. But in the end, we’ve seen significantly better, more urgent, more committed performances from both men—that is essentially Nakamura’s WWE career in microcosm—and this faded in the memory before the main show even started.
A basic exploration of the dynamic? Coasting performers? Unimaginative road agent intervention?
It’s difficult to determine why this was forgettable and average, but on this evidence, neither man’s absence from TV is showering creative in disgrace - and if Nakamura can't bring even an impression of his best to a title winning effort, we can effectively give up on him now, if we haven't already.
Star Rating: **1/2