WWE Survivor Series 2018: 10 Things We Learned

9. Rollins Vs. Nakamura Was Literally Meaningless

Seth Rollins Shinsuke Nakamura
WWE.com

Next-to-nobody will remember the first ever televised clash between workhorse Seth Rollins and Japanese star Shinsuke Nakamura a few weeks from now. Their match at Survivor Series, whilst solid in-ring, had all the excitement of a house show exhibition.

Without the Dean Ambrose interference that was expected by many beforehand, Rollins vs. Naka became just another example of why this whole Raw vs. SmackDown thing is akin to paint drying. When they're stripped of storyline purpose or any beef to speak of between the wrestlers involved, matches rarely work in WWE.

This isn't a more wrestling-centric product like New Japan, and so Wrestler A vs. Wrestler B doesn't cut it.

The only thing achieved here was making Nakamura look second-rate compared to Rollins. That takes the Royal Rumble 2018 winner further away from where he wants to be (on top of the card) and closer to where he doesn't (mid-card anonymity).

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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.