The following editorial was written by Tyler Treese and does not reflect the views of WrestleZone as a whole. Feel free to chime in on the Seth Rollins vs Shinsuke Nakamura match in the comments below.
The big theme at Survivor Series this year will be a familiar one as it will be comprised of the two WWE brands competing for bragging rights. They will clash in a series of matches that include traditional elimination contests, and non-title affairs that will have champions from both brands clashing. One of the most interesting matches will be Intercontinental Champion Seth Rollins vs Shinsuke Nakamura, who holds the US Championship. It’s a dream match finally coming to fruition.
However, there is always one issue with these sort of matches: who should win?
Seth Rollins vs Shinsuke Nakamura
Nakamura recently said in an interview that he finally feels as if he has fully learned the WWE style, and this match will be his chance to prove it on a big stage. While some were disappointed with his matches with AJ Styles earlier this year, if he puts on a classic with Seth Rollins then everyone will forget about the past. This is a business that focuses on what you’ve done lately, and this has the ability to raise the stocks of both competitors.
I fully expect that the Survivor Series matchup will deliver. Rollins is arguably the best in-ring performer in WWE at the moment, and as long as they get time to work a proper match then they should be able to give fans something special. It will have a big fight feel due to it being the first time they’ve gone one-on-one on pay-per-view, and they will take advantage of that fact.
Moving Forward
The Intercontinental Championship doesn’t mean all that much to Rollins right now. He cares about beating Dean Ambrose first and foremost. So, allowing Nakamura to gain an impressive victory is the best way to help both men. Shinsuke can continue his US Championship run into his next feud while Rollins focuses on his blood feud. Let him lose (either cleanly or by an Ambrose distraction), and let the IC title boost someone else (like a McIntyre) rather than play second fiddle.
Ultimately, the Seth Rollins and Dean Ambrose feud is a personal rivalry. It’s not about two competitors going after a belt or proving who is better. It’s about two men that once shared a close bond whose relationship has been forever altered due to both of them growing apart over the years. They’ve tried to make things work, but it just wasn’t meant to be. That’s the story that WWE has to be focusing on, and why Nakamura will be victorious at Survivor Series.
