Lately, we’ve not been seeing much action from the WWE Intercontinental Champion. Since winning the belt, Shinsuke Nakamura has barely defended – and has barely even been getting into the ring. This was mainly due to a hand injury suffered by Nakamura, but now just ahead of the Royal Rumble – he has been fully cleared to return to the ring.
Shinsuke Nakamura Won The 2018 Royal Rumble
This is big news, as Nakamura is a former Royal Rumble winner. In 2018, he won the match by last eliminating Roman Reigns, going on to Wrestlemania in an unsuccessful challenge against AJ Styles. Since then, Nakamura has drifted between the main event and the midcard – being a utility player at best.
However, with WWE having a smaller roster following their releases in 2021, we could see Nakamura as a contender for the WWE Universal Championship throughout 2022. He’s also someone to watch in the Rumble, as eliminating Nakamura could lead to a title shot as soon as WWE Elimination Chamber.
Sami Zayn & Sheamus Both Want The WWE Intercontinental Championship
Right now, Sami Zayn already has a shot for the WWE Intercontinental Championship in his back pocket, having earned it during the 12 Days of Christmas Gauntlet Match. However, Zayn is not the only person looking for a shot at Nakamura. Recently, Sheamus has made it clear that he intends to claim the WWE Intercontinental Championship sometime soon – which is just about the only championship left for Sheamus to claim in WWE.
It’s likely either of these matches could come at Wrestlemania, with a match against Sheamus more likely. We could see Zayn get his shot in the coming weeks on Smackdown Live, unless WWE forgets he has a title shot. Nakamura is more than capable of having great matches with both men.
Sheamus is very similar to NJPW star Togi Makabe, who Nakamura faced many times. Meanwhile, fans still remember the debut match of Nakamura in WWE – who went over twenty minutes against Sami Zayn in NXT.
Who do you want to see challenge Nakamura for the WWE Intercontinental Championship? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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