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On Nakamura:
* People asked why Nakamura was sent to NXT. Although he had worked the United States before, it can be very hard for people from Japan to adjust to different cultures -- "Paris Syndrome." He was also presumably moving his family to a different culture, a different climate, different schools, different jobs, etc. He was also leaving his mother for the first time. It was going to be an "adjustment." I think they were taking care of him by letting him not travel.
* When he got called up, they protected him unusually well, in terms of win-loss record, until they put him up against the shitty Jinder Mahal.
* Giving him the Royal Rumble surprised me, somewhat, because I wasn't sure if they saw in him what New Japan fans did. Sure, they've also given it to Del Rio and Sheamus, but the Royal Rumble is more protected than the WWE Title. Nakamura winning it was a sign of good faith from the company.
* I can't remember exactly what changed my mind. Maybe it was just that Nakamura didn't feel "hot" heading into Mania, and the switch would have felt "forced," but I changed my prediction to AJ Styles last second. It just felt like fans wanted to see him keep going more than a change in direction at that point.
* In retrospect, it doesn't make sense to put the WWE Title on a Rumble Winner in a big babyface moment if, come WrestleMania the next year, he's headlining a Garden show with ROH and New Japan because his family hasn't adjusted well or whatever. It wouldn't even need to be a bad split. Nakamura might love it in the US and working for Vince, but his family might "want to move back to Springfield" and Homer needs to stop working for Hank Scorpio. That might be the first time anyone has compared Shinsuke Nakamura to Homer Simpson. I think now "Of course he was going to lose."
* What I've seen from Nakamura reminds me more of a Memphis heel than a New Japan strong style character. I don't mind that at all, and when you're also working to please Vince, I think it's smart. It's also probably better for the body.
* It seemed the plan has been to build AJ's stock, and I doubt Nakamura went into WrestleMania clueless about this, has embraced it, been a good soldier, and put AJ over strong. They seem to want AJ to break "SmackDown records" and be promoted as the core SmackDown guy. Nakamura played his part in that. And that's why I was fairly certain Joe was not getting the WWE Title. Not just cynicism, but also how would that make Nakamura feel if he was passed up and Joe just waltzes in and gets it? I'm fairly certain the only reason they didn't give Nak a sniff was because they really want to do this long thing with AJ.
* Now that Nakamura's contract is coming up in early 2019, if his family is comfortable, I can imagine Nakamura getting the belt as a "now we know you're with us for the haul and that you can handle the road and will play ball, we're going with you."
* Nakamura has said he wants to wrestle Bryan; Bryan has said he wants to wrestle Nakamura. You know what both have or will come up in the WrestleMania-to-WrestleMania year? Their contracts. I think WWE gives them "attaboys" for re-upping and they're the WWE Title match at Mania next year.
* You know what WWE also want? Guys like Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks to sign WWE contracts. They're not going to blow up their pay scale and they're not going to go insane pushing guys who make a name elsewhere, because it "rewards" that behavior. But they want them under the umbrella. By the time January 5 rolls around, I imagine it will be very clear to free agents about the rewards of what happens if you sign deals with WWE.
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