4/25 PW Daily Report: Will The Real Nakamura Please Stand Up? Major Moves at IMPACT TV Tapings, More

Will the Real Nakamura Please Stand Up?

This week’s episode of Smackdown Live showed off just how stacked the blue brand truly is in the post-Superstar Shakeup landscape. They filled two hours with segment after segment, delivering BIG on the storytelling and packing as many spots in as humanly possible to showcase the new lineup. It’s a pretty clear sign that a show is insanely top-heavy when a potential Randy Orton/Jeff Hardy program likely won’t even make the top 3-4 most important matches at Backlash.

In a week where almost everything was good and, in my humble opinion nothing was even remotely close to being bad, Shinsuke Nakamura has revealed himself as the shining star of Smackdown Live with another stellar performance. “The Artist” was given a brand new, remixed theme song, adding a sick bass track and some Japanese trap rap stylings that give his new villainous mean streak a massive shot of adrenaline. Since turning heel every little aspect of the Nakamura character has fallen into place. I’ve been saying it for years; the glamorous entrance, the constantly eye-rolling and almost ADHD-like lack of respect and intention for anything his opponents have to say, the ridiculous dance moves, Good Vibrations, the constantly cocky grin – everything about him screams this dude does not care about you, or your sportsmanship. On Tuesday night, I saw for the first time the true “King of Strong (Swag) Style” Shinsuke Nakamura that made me fall in love with NJPW many years ago.

Add to all of that the endlessly impressive and charismatic IIconics, who are quickly becoming my favorite two-person act in wrestling, Carmella getting more and more heat every single week as Smackdown Women’s Champion, Shelton Benjamin picking up a strong win over a major name… The blue brand is firing on all cylinders. This week’s show hit on so many levels that I actually ENJOYED a Bludgeon Brothers segment! I’m really digging the addition of Naomi. I want to see more with her and Jimmy behind the scenes. I’d like to see WWE invest more on the characters beyond the ring; look at how much impact Candice LeRae added to Johnny Gargano’s recent matches in NXT.

Oh, and how about that Big Cass promo? I’m not saying it was the best rant I’ve ever heard, and Miz several times made him look like a rookie, but that was easily the best we’ve ever seen out of the big man. I loved his promo because while it was overly long, if he got in a room with a writer and trimmed the fat off, tightened the whole thing up – there were times he really found his fire, especially when talking about Daniel Bryan, and I think more than anything that segment just showed that he CAN cut a promo and there’s elements of greatness in there that just need to be refined.

IMPACT TV Taping Updates

IMPACT Wrestling is at Universal Studios this week taping four straight days of television.

4/23 IMPACT TV Taping Results4/24 IMPACT TV Taping Results*SPOILERS* Former WWE & TNA Names Return*SPOILERS* Big Title Change Takes Place on Night 2*SPOILERS* Former Knockouts Champ Returning

Check Out This Nakamura Synth Cover

If you haven’t already seen it, my good friend Ace Waters is a VGM artist and recently took a shot covering Shinsuke Nakamura’s WWE theme song “The Rising Sun”. Give it a listen below.

Misc. Wrestling NewsDaniel Bryan singles match announced for BacklashAlexa Bliss has minor “cosmetic surgery”Huge collection of ROH news from this weekThis week’s RAW viewership tanksMore names announced for ALL IN ChicagoResultsWWE Smackdown Live (4/24)WWE RAW (4/23)IMPACT Redemption Results (4/22)PWG All Star Weekend Results (4/21)PWG All Star Weekend Results (4/20)IMPACT Wrestling Results (4/19)

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