What's Next for Nakamura?

Despite their reputation for notoriously short memories, I'd be surprised if most fans didn't hold the Austin Aries vs. Shinsuke Nakamura from last night's NXT Takeover: The End as a Match of the Year candidate by year's end.  The epic encounter is a classic example of perfect pacing, hold-your-breath moves, and superb athleticism from two men who have virtually done it all in the business.

That being said, the shakeout from the event is arguably the most intriguing aspect of the entire affair.  I don't think anybody acquainted with these two wrestlers doubted their match last night would steal the show.  By most accounts, it was the most anticipated bout of the evening.  Nakamura's victory, coupled with his already overwhelming popularity with fans, assures him the sky is the limit; but is now the time to make that future a reality?

Shinsuke Nakamura is not new to hardcore fans who have followed his career through New Japan, but his arrival in NXT has now made him a household name among the casual fan as well.  He's managed to back that up with two stellar performances at consecutive takeovers against Sami Zayn and Austin Aries, assuring us that the hype is to be believed.  But there's precious few other "big" stars to wrestle in NXT (particularly with rumors swirling that the roster will be largely dispersed to feed the Raw and Smackdown brand extension).  There's only one person left on the roster with the sort of name recognition deserving of a main-event-style billing, and he just so happens to be the same person holding championship gold.

A feud between NXT Champion Samoa Joe and Shinsuke Nakamura is inevitable, especially now that Finn Balor has officially failed to recapture the belt and seems destined to reappear on one of the main rosters (perhaps to reclaim the Club he founded).  Nakamura as NXT Champion is all but a certainty to happen sooner rather than later, but how soon is too soon?

When answering that question, it's important to consider three people.  The first, of course, is Nakamura himself.

"The King of Strong Style" is by far the greatest showman NXT has ever seen, and his oozing charisma has weaved its way into the fans' hearts at rapid-fire pace.  Despite being a product of the "indie scene" (if you can call New Japan an indie promotion), Nakamura is the epitome of Vince McMahon's sports-entertainment: a larger-than-life presence with world-class athleticism and a die-hard passion for pro wrestling.  As the most popular star on his roster (with the possible exception of Bayley), it seems only logical to gift him with the most coveted prize that roster has to offer and make him your Champion.

So why shouldn't you?

It all comes down to the age-old wrestling paradox of whether or not a particular star needs the title.  As pointed out by many greats of the past like Steve Austin, Bret Hart, and Shawn Michaels, there's a huge difference between "the title making the man" and "the man making the title."  In the case of Nakamura, it's probably more of the latter as he brings with him his body of work overseas and infuses it into what he's established her in the States.  Nakamura would elevate the Championship, no doubt, but his meteoric rise to prominence suggests that he doesn't need the title to be your main event.  His work speaks for itself.  His charisma speaks for itself.  He speaks for himself.

Better yet, by keeping the title away from Nakamura, you have the chance not just to build him as an underdog scraping from the bottom, but the chance to elevate other stars on your roster, especially with the obligatory injection of new blood coming as much of the upper card moves to the main roster(s).  What could a match against Nakamura do for men like Tommaso Ciampa or Johnny Gargano?  Even in defeat, these fledgling stars could be given a chance to truly showcase their skills and prove that they can "go".  It helps their careers and proves to the fans that the future of the brand is in very capable hands.

The second person to consider is Austin Aries, who will go largely uncredited for the masterpiece of last night's match, but deserves almost as much, if not more applause for the effort.  Aries has a tremendous story to tell: a devil-may-care heel with a chip on his shoulder because he came in just in time to be eclipsed by someone who was deemed a bigger draw.  His match against Nakamura was by far his best showing since coming to NXT, and hopefully fans who haven't gotten a chance to know him will now take notice and see the merit in his words.

Whereas letting Nakamura flounder in the mid-card for a while could elevate the unknowns of your roster, the same cannot be said for Austin Aries.  It's not because he lacks the ability; but the loss to Nakamura means "The Greatest Man That Ever Lived" ends up looking less than great.  A victory over Aries at this point would be the equivalent of kicking a man when he's down.

Instead, Aries needs to be the one to ensure Nakamura never attains that NXT Championship.  Despite not qualifying for a title match himself, he can be the thorn in Shinsuke's side.  Every time "The King of Strong Style" seems to have a title victory in his grasp, Aries is there to spoil it.  Eventually, Samoa Joe gets fed up with Aries and decides to put his title on the line against A-Double in an effort to shut him up for good.  And that's when Aries wins.  Suddenly Aries sits atop the mountain, triumphantly clad in the Championship that was always meant to be his: everything he's ever said is true.  All the doubters see their folly.  All the naysayers are forced to acknowledge him as truly "The Greatest Man That Ever Lived."

Now enter an enraged Nakamura who's tired of being screwed out of every opportunity and sees the man who has thwarted his every attempt to be Champion holding a title he doesn't deserve.  Nakamura returns and beats Aries for the Championship, cementing himself as the brand's biggest star.  Samoa Joe can then return to insist on a rematch for the title that was stolen from him, and that's when we get the inevitable Joe vs. Nakamura match.

The most important thing here is that everybody wins, everybody looks good.  Aries doesn't look like a loser.  Nakamura still looks like a hero.  Joe still looks like a badass.  Nobody has to "job out" or fade away.  With a thin top-card, NXT needs all three of these men to carry their brand forward until the next crop of superstars is ready to take the mantle.

Finally, there's Samoa Joe.  Similar to Aries, the biggest issue for Joe is that there are few stars on his level that qualify as legitimate threats to his title.  For this reason, it's probably obvious to stick he and Nakamura in a feud immediately.  But since we have a couple of months til NXT Takeover: Brooklyn 2016 at Summerslam, I'd suggest that Joe spend at least a few weeks just running through the lower card enhancement talent and asserting that there's nobody left on the roster to threaten him.  That's when the above scenario kicks in and a Joe/Nakamura feud can ensue, eventually bringing Austin Aries to the fore as your NXT Champion.

WWE is famous for their short-term memory, but even more infamous for their short-term booking.  In a time where the NXT brand is jeopardized by the expansions of Raw and Smackdown, a slow build of the next big star is what's needed while the new blood gets their sea legs under them so they can one day carry their fellow stars to the next generation.  Last night may have been The End, but it's really just the beginning.