4 WWE stars who can dethrone Shinsuke Nakamura following SmackDown
Shinsuke Nakamura retained his United States Championship on WWE SmackDown. A little help from The Bloodline went a long way for The Artist.
Jacob Fatu and Tama Tonga attacked Knight at a crucial moment in the contest, ending it without a result. The help allowed Shinsuke Nakamura to remain champion.
LA Knight could continue his rivalry with The Bloodline while putting his quest to regain the US Title on hold. The angle could allow some other stars to step up and potentially defeat Nakamura for the title.
Check out the four WWE stars who can dethrone Shinsuke Nakamura on SmackDown.
#4. Andrade has already faced The Artist
Andrade has been involved in the storyline circling Shinsuke Nakamura and LA Knight. El Idolo has already lost to The Artist in his quest to become the United States Champion.
Triple H could continue the rivalry between the two men, especially with Knight out of the picture. It would make sense to keep Andrade busy for some time since he has returned to WWE with a lot of hope.
Andrade vs. Shinsuke Nakamura could take place at Saturday Night’s Main Event or the Royal Rumble. An extended rivalry would give both men a good push.
#3. Braun Strowman could come looking for some gold
Braun Strowman has been hit by an illness that could keep him out for a few weeks. He’s missed two consecutive episodes of SmackDown, and his rivalries with Carmelo Hayes and The Bloodline have been put on hold.
The Monster of all Monsters could take a break and return with a renewed mission to win a championship. That could put the babyface up against the villainous Shinsuke Nakamura.
A rivalry between the two men could be a treat to watch and could begin as early as the 2025 Royal Rumble. They could have their first match at the PLE, where Strowman could take the title from The Artist to extend their feud.
#2. Randy Orton vs Shinsuke Nakamura could be a highlight of WWE WrestleMania 41
Randy Orton was shelved by Kevin Owens on SmackDown a few weeks ago. The Viper could return at the 2025 Royal Rumble to cost KO his match against Cody Rhodes.
Following a rivalry with Owens, Orton could get into a championship feud heading into WrestleMania 41. It would make sense for the babyface to target Shinsuke Nakamura for the title.
The two veterans could tell a great story and put on a memorable show at WrestleMania for the United States Championship. It could allow The Viper to win another title at The Show of Shows and continue his run at the top of WWE.
#1. Solo Sikoa could target the United States Champion on SmackDown
Solo Sikoa lost the Tribal Combat to Roman Reigns on RAW’s Netflix premiere. Much of Sikoa’s story revolved around him being the self-proclaimed Tribal Chief for the past several months.
With the title now off him, Solo Sikoa could look to win a championship to stay relevant on SmackDown. That could bring him face-to-face with The Artist.
Solo Sikoa could play the heel or babyface in the rivalry and take his Bloodline’s help to dethrone the United States Champion. WWE fans have already seen a few segments involving Nakamura and Solo Sikoa’s Bloodline. The WWE creative team could weave their stories together.
