Shinsuke Nakamura’s title win at the WWE Survivor Series: WarGames Premium Live Event came as a suprise to many fans, as LA Knight was the reigning United States Champion. However, a report has shed some light on why Nakamura was given the win. According to Dave Meltzer on the Wrestling Observer Daily Update, Nakamura’s win was “pushed big” in NOAH, a Japanese professional wrestling promotion, ahead of his match against Ulka Sasaki at the promotion’s The New Year 2025 event on January 1.
Nakamura, who is a Japanese professional wrestler, made his return to WWE on the November 15, 2024 edition of SmackDown, targeting LA Knight and setting the stage for their match at Survivor Series. The two stars had a back-and-forth encounter, with Nakamura eventually connecting with a Kinshasa for the pinfall win, securing his third reign as the United States Champion.
Jonathan Coachman, a former WWE personality, also expressed his suprise at LA Knight’s loss, stating that he believed the former champion would be “pissed off” by the decision. Coachman also felt that Knight, who is now in his late 30s and early 40s, would not receive a prominent role in the foreseeable future.
Coachman’s comments came on the Behind The Turnbuckle: The Last Word podcast, where he stated that Nakamura’s win was a surprise not only to fans but also to those in the wrestling industry. He noted that Knight would likely be “forgotten” by WWE moving forward, suggesting that he would not be a part of the company’s plans for its biggest events, including the upcoming Netflix and SmackDown on USA.
It remains to be seen how WWE will book Nakamura’s latest championship reign and whether LA Knight will continue to be a viable challenger on the blue brand. Nakamura’s win was a major surprise, and only time will tell how the company will use this storyline to move forward.
