People are complaining about how Shinsuke Nakamura has been presented since being called up from NXT on April 4 to Smackdown. For some reason, ring announcer Greg Hamilton is forced to introduce Nakamura as "The Artist Known as Shinsuke Nakamura".
Why is this?
The easy answer, of course, lies with CEO/Chairman Vince McMahon, proving once again he's permanently out to lunch. Nakamura is known globally as "The King of Strong Style", but McMahon thinks he might have to pay royalties to, say, New Japan Pro Wrestling, to use that tag, so he created his own. Needlessly, of course, but we should be used to that by now. A reporter for Cageside Seats reported today that Triple H is frustrated with his father-in-law's handling of NXT call-ups such as Nakamura, blunting the momentum built before they were called up.
For example, Tye Dillinger was called up the same night as Nakamura, and got some early wins, but hasn't been on Smackdown in a few weeks. McMahon would rather chase the money from India, hence the rapid rise of Canadian-born Jinder Mahal from jobber to WWE Champion, than give Dillinger at least some courtesy time, such as a promo or two. Granted, Mahal has been mishandled, too, just as I was afraid would happen, since he now can't win a match without the Singh Brothers getting involved.
Speaking of the former Bollywood Boyz, when are we going to see them compete on Smackdown? You & I know they're more than just henchmen for Mahal, but the head nutcase won't give them a chance to prove they belong in the tag team division, which got a boost this week when Zack Ryder was activated from the DL, putting the Hype Bros back in the mix. Hype Bros vs. Singhs would be virtually automatic, since the Singhs had a hand in Mojo Rawley losing a non-title match to Mahal last week.
And, then, there's the nonsense over on Raw with Enzo Amore & Big Cass. So who's jumping them backstage? The answer just got easier with news that Braun Strowman was also activated from the DL, but they'd rather he continue his issue with Roman Reigns. The Revival are a red herring, as is Big Show. It's just that McMahon and his Raw scribblers are too stupid to see that some of us can see right through them.
Don't get me started with the talk of Stephanie being behind those mystery texts to Kurt Angle threatening his job. That's not her style, or her family's, but Vince expects us to forget all that history. Someone please give him a case of Almond Joy candy bars and send him on his way, please?
The bottom line is that HHH has every right to be upset with the mad king, who will be 72 in 2 months time. It's time for Hunter & Steph to stop being Vince's on camera puppets and start doing what's really best for business. That, of course, being greasing the skids for Vince's retirement angle. Like, yesterday. There's no way Vince can spin this to keep them heels, and I'll demonstrate this again in a future column.
