WWEs January 10 episode of SmackDown brought the blue brand another chance for the blue brand to impress fans with a three-hour show. LA Knight also showed up, determined to take the U.S. Title back from the man who dethroned him.
Shinsuke Nakamura defended the United States Title against LA Knight during this weeks SmackDown. That was quite a shock for LA Knight fans at Survivor Series 2024 as Nakamura took the title from the former Eli Drake.
This match got started as the second hour of the show kicked off. LA Knight received a huge reception from fans in Portland, Oregons Moda Center as he made his way to each turnbuckle for his signature pose. Shinsuke Nakamura did not receive that kind of response in the slightest as he made his way to the ring.
Although LA Knight tried to start off the match on top, Shinsuke Nakamura beat him down and stalked him like prey for a good bit. Knight fought back, but Nakamura only continued his assault. Then Knight gained control on the outside, where he bashed Nakamuras heat off the announce table a few times, and then he clotheslined him out of the ring after throwing him back in.
Eventually, LA Knight ate a ringpost twice, and Shinsuke Nakamura regained control as they went to commercial break. By the time they came back, Nakamura had beat LA Knight down for over three straight minutes. Knight was able to come back with a top rope bulldog by the time they returned to lay them both out on the mat.
Nakamura got up first, and the two traded punches. Then Knight clotheslined Nakamura and mounted him for a few shots. They continued their match, and the finish came after the two traded submission holds, and then Nakamura missed his knee after a back-and-forth move exchange. Then Nakamura nailed his Kinshasa, but Knight got his foot on the rope.
In the end, Nakamura nailed a knee on an exposed turnbuckle, and LA Knight hit a BFT. Suddenly, Jacob Fatu and Tama Tonga rushed the ring and beat LA Knight down. This was in response to Knight getting lippy with them backstage previously on the show.
Shinsuke Nakamura is still the United States Champion, but it certainly looked like LA Knight was going to become champion once again. In the end, we got another beatdown from The new Bloodline instead until Cody Rhodes and Jimmy Uso rushed the ring to make the save.
Whats your take on LA Knights push in WWE? Do you think that his popularity in WWE is organic or pushed by the company? Let us know what you think in the comments section!
