Isenberg Reacts: WWE Smackdown Live “Shakeup = Kevin Owens Live”

April 13, 2017

Nakamura Shows Off Dolph Ziggler

shinsuke-nakamura

The NXT legend started his Smackdown Live career by interrupting The Miz. With The Miz on WWE RAW, enter Dolph Ziggler. We are going to get Shinsuke Nakamura facing Dolph Ziggler for his first feud. I am alright with this, but I do want to try and compare Shinsuke Nakamura with Finn Balor. When Balor came to the main roster, he defeated some pretty big names on WWE RAW en route to becoming the first WWE Universal Champion. He immediately became a star and important even to the casual fan.

Should WWE have gone this route with Shinsuke Nakamura? I really think him and Ziggler will be good for the time being, but I would have pushed him to a top level. I am not saying you need him to become champion, but giving him someone like Kevin Owens, AJ Styles or Randy Orton to feud with first makes him feel that much more important. For fans who do not watch NXT, this lets them know that this guy is for real.

Look at Kevin Owens, who started with John Cena. AJ Styles started with Chris Jericho. It is hard to argue that Shinsuke Nakamura was not WWE’s most intriguing signing over the past 5 years. So, why would you put him with Dolph Ziggler, one of my favorites but who has declined since his forgettable World Championship match at SummerSlam.

Personally, I am much more interested in Shinsuke Nakamura on Smackdown than I am with Finn Balor on WWE RAW. Both are stellar and will be successful, but WWE needs to make sure they do not wait too long to push Nakamura to the main event (or very close) level. When you book him with important people, fans immediately understand how important he is.

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Josh controls most of the creative writing and ideas for the show on a weekly basis, as well as an on-air talent.
Aside from working with WrestleZone, Isenberg began his career in Broadcast Journalism interning at ESPN and worked with CBS Radio for three years. He has also had the opportunity to interview some of the best athletes and performers alive, including Andrew McCutchen, Ben Roethlisberger, Chris Jericho, Billy Gunn, Karl Anderson, Matt Hardy, Steven Strasburg and others.
Currently, Josh Isenberg works for Major League Baseball in their Advanced Media Productions. He grew up in Pittsburgh and went to Point Park University, which is where Chair Shot Reality is filmed each week.
His life outside of his obsession with wrestling include being a savant for Seinfeld, NFL, NBA, MLB and many television shows. He also has an undying love for musicals, which includes many shows he was a part of in high school. Some of his favorite wrestling moments can be linked to such superstars as Edge, The Rock, Bret Hart, Shawn Michaels and The Great Khali.

Follow @JoshIsenberg4