At Survivor Series WarGames, Shinsuke Nakamura captured the US championship, defeated LA Knight cleanly and decisive victory. While Knight managed to get on the offensive a bit, the commentary team repeatedly noted that he didn't seem to be performing at his usual level. The win marks Nakamura's third reign with the title and is a significant moment towards his return to prominence. However, the decision to sign Knight, one of WWE's most popular stars, to accept such a final loss raises questions about his character's future creative direction.
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At the risk of making him seem weak, why did WWE decide to hand Knight such a resounding defeat? Here are some reasons:
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Nakamura needed a big win
Who is bigger than LA Knight that Nakamura can pin?
This loss wasn't about LA Knight, but rather a repackaged Nakamura
WWE wants to put a lot of pressure on Nakamura after previously failing to do so
Who better to beat than someone as popular as the megastar?
Knight's loss may have been less about Knight and more about Nakamura. Returning after months of absence, WWE clearly has plans for this new version of the Nakamura character. He has a new look, new theme music, a new nickname and he has been under a lot of pressure since his return. With a big win over Andrade just 24 hours earlier on SmackDown, it seems clear that WWE is trying to take him down. Remember, Andrade was on par with Carmelo Hayes for seven games. Nakamura beat him within minutes. If the plan was to keep his momentum going, a big win over Knight and a title win would be a good way to accomplish that.
WWE probably hasn't done well for Nakamura in a while. It would have been a big mistake if he had come in and lost straight away. But a decisive win sets him up for a solid run where the company finally gets behind him. Knight doesn't need a title to be relevant. Maybe Nakamura will.
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LA Knight takes a break
Maybe he wants and needs a break
LA Knight has wrestled more than any other current champion
He didn't take his time like many WWE stars have done
If he comes back refreshed and re-energized, that's a good thing
There's no sign of LA Knight going away, but in the new WWE wrestlers have more free time than ever before. Knight hasn't taken a break in a while and has wrestled a lot since winning the championship. Maybe he'll give himself some time before heading to WrestleMania. If so, it would make sense to take the title away from him.
WWE did its best to suggest that Knight didn't look like he was on the right track. Under the guise of Nakamura getting into his head, Michael Cole and Corey Graves repeatedly talked about how Knight was no longer the same and that he didn't seem to have it in this match. Why say that unless the plan is to take a bit of a break and come back stronger, perhaps as a surprise entrant in the Royal Rumble?
As for the card, Knight is not currently on Saturday Night's Main Event schedule. A few weeks away could allow him to recover and return.
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LA Knight is moving on to bigger things
Is a world title or a WWE title in his future?
Did WWE book him to lose a midcard title so he could look at something bigger?
Perhaps Knight wanted to finish Nakamura off before pursuing a major championship
If so, will he be a heel or a babyface after this loss?
The silver lining to losing a midcard title is often that WWE records the loss so that the loser can move on and advance. That could be the case with Knight. If he wants to win the World Title or WWE Championship in the future, it's hard to see him going up against Guenther or Cody Rhodes with the United States Championship in his possession.
It's nothing new to release someone just to move on and fight for another title. Many superstars have managed including Günther. He lost to Sami Zayn but won the World Championship weeks later after taking a break after WrestleMania. It's plausible that WWE takes a leaf from this creative book and does something similar with Knight. Whether he returns as a babyface or a heel and on Raw or SmackDown remains to be seen. But with the move to Netflix and rumors of certain stars switching brands, WWE may have plans for one of its more well-known performers.
