#143: John Cena vs. Shinsuke Nakamura, WWE Smackdown Live (8/1/2017).
This is a Number One Contenders Match to determine who will challenge Jinder Mahal for the WWE Championship at SummerSlam, and is the one and only singles meeting between Cena and Nakamura.
What's crazier - the fact that they gave this away on free TV, or the fact that these two are fighting for a shot at Jinder Mahal?
They go to lock up, and Nakamura just ducks under Cena with ease. He smiles, and then they go to lock up. Cena ducks, and tells Nakamura that he can’t see him. They finally lock up, and Nakamura forces Cena into the corner. He backs away, and lets him know that he can see him. Cena takes control of the arm, and he torques it in an ugly manner. The crowd is hot for this one. Nakamura twists his way free, and takes the side headlock.
Nakamura runs the ropes, and asks for more. He hits a step up enziguri to Cena, which sends him down into the turnbuckle. Nakamura connects with Good Vibrations. Cena delivers a couple of punches, but misses a shoulder tackle in the corner. Nakamura tries for Good Vibrations again, but he hits a belly to belly suplex instead for a nearfall. Cena applies a chin lock next. Back from commercial break, Nakamura knees Cena in the midsection, and connects with a left kick to the head.
Nakamura with several kicks to the chest, and one right to the chin. He lays Cena across the turnbuckle, and drives his knee right into his ribs. That gets him a nearfall. Cena blocks a backwards Exploder, and hits his two shoulder tackles and the side slam. Cena prepares for the Five Knuckle Shuffle, but Nakamura catches him in an arm bar submission. He transitions to a Triangle Choke, and Cena powers out of it into an AA attempt. Nakamura counters that into a Face Buster.
Now in the corner, Nakamura goes for the Kinshasa, but Cena suckers him in and applies the STF. Nakamura escapes it, and goes for the arm bar. Cena turns it into a roll up, and Nakamura kicks out. Cena is up quickly, and he takes Nakamura’s head off with a lariat. Cena lifts him up, but Nakamura quickly unloads with strikes. A knee to the face, followed by another Kinshasa attempt, but Cena catches him in the AA, and Nakamura is able to kick out! Cena goes for it again, and Nakamura counters into a Guillotine Choke!
Cena powers through it to hit the AA again, but he rolls through and tries for another, but Nakamura counters into a backwards Exploder Suplex that damn near breaks Cena’s neck! Nakamura finally connects with the Kinshasa, and that’s enough for the 3! Post match, Nakamura can be seen apologizing to Cena for dropping him on his head, but Cena tells him not to worry about it, and they shake hands in respect. Backstage, Vince McMahon was furious at Nakamura allegedly, but Cena intervened and took responsibility for the botch, siding with Nakamura in the process.
This was an awesome little TV match between two guys who, given their styles, gelled a lot more in the ring that you'd think. It didn't overstay its welcome, and it didn't take long for the action to really pick up. And once it did, it had you entertained until the final bell. Cena was giving in this match to Nakamura, who took the opportunity to batter WWE's golden boy.
Oof, that spot at the end. It's nasty, and Cena is lucky that it wasn't worse. Kudos to him, though, for sticking up for Nakamura backstage.