Shinsuke Nakamura Worthy of Seth Rollins Feud, LA Knight on Fire, More WWE Raw Takes

WWE Raw brought the best of the company with its August 7 edition at the Target Center in Minneapolis.

Cody Rhodes and Seth Rollins opened the show at odds with each other, but they were convinced by Sami Zayn to work together to fight The Judgment Day. However, it was Shinsuke Nakamura who had the last laugh by attacking The Visionary to close the show.

Chad Gable enjoyed a hometown ovation while winning the biggest match of his career and earning his first Intercontinental Championship shot by defeating Ricochet, Matt Riddle and Tommaso Ciampa.

Becky Lynch tried to speak about missing SummerSlam while focusing on her rematch with Trish Stratus. But, after an interruption from both Shayna Baszler and Zoey Stark, she had fun taunting future opponents at ringside with lemonade in hand.

LA Knight and The Miz faced off in the ring on the mic, but they may have stolen the show all the same. It was a great showing of what The Megastar can do.

Monday was an action-packed night that highlighted the biggest present and future stories for the red brand.

Perfect Time for Seth Rollins vs. Shinsuke Nakamura

Shinsuke Nakamura has rarely found himself in world title contention since moving to the main roster in April 2017. While Triple H once booked him as the top babyface in NXT, he has not looked anywhere near that level on Raw or SmackDown.

That could change with his latest feud, as The Artist vs. Seth Rollins is a recipe for success. The two have chemistry to spare that has not been explored nearly enough.

It is unlikely Nakamura will defeat Rollins, though the possibility is enticing. Few things are more interesting than giving a talented performer their first major title reign.

This angle has legs that can go at least through to Survivor Series on November 25. It is important that WWE commits to this instead of moving onto a bigger story that was also teased on Monday.

Worst Time to Return to Seth Rollins vs. Cody Rhodes

WWE has begun teasing the possibility of setting up Cody Rhodes as the next challenger to Seth Rollins. It makes sense as he is the most credible wrestler on Raw next to The Visionary.

However, the two have feuded in the past, and revisiting that rivalry now could ruin the momentum of The American Nightmare for the long term.

Rhodes cannot afford a loss right now, but he also has clearly stated that his goal is not the World Heavyweight Championship. If he wins the secondary world title, it will only highlight its lesser value to the WWE Championship.

Rollins lost every match against Rhodes along the way. He deserves to get his win back at the right time, but this is far from the right time.

Rhodes needs to continue showing he is growing and evolving as a performer, not doing the honors for the man who began his momentum in the first place.

Once The American Nightmare has completed his story by defeating Roman Reigns, then Rhodes and Rollins can renew their rivalry, possibly the setting the stage for The Visionary to get his win back.

In the meantime, Rollins can feud with Shinsuke Nakamura while Rhodes continues his conflict with The Judgment Day. Matches with Finn Bálor and Damian Priest would be great for future pay-per-views.

WWE Must Commit to Chad Gable Push

Chad Gable has finally won the big match. After lasting over 10 minutes against Gunther last week, he won a No. 1 Contender Fatal 4-Way match to earn a title shot against The Ring General in his hometown of Minneapolis on Monday.

In the past year since Triple H took over creative, Gable has been a reliable role player on Raw. He has been the workhorse, the comedy star and the veteran support.

His matches with Seth Rollins, Kevin Owens, Dolph Ziggler, Johnny Gargano and Matt Riddle were great sprints in which the Olympian put over top names and rising stars alike.

His work in Alpha Academy has been the rare comedy in WWE that has actually worked, but he has taken a backseat to Otis and Maxxine Dupri.

The stage is set for that work to be rewarded. Even if he cannot defeat Gunther, he can still steal the show and continue building himself up as a future title contender throughout WWE.

The problem is that Gable is still stuck in a story where he is not taken seriously. The next few weeks must focus on building his credibility before he challenges The Ring General.

Becky Lynch Will Become More Popular Than Ever After Latest Snub

Becky Lynch did not compete on Raw, but she stole the hearts of the fans with her antics. After pushing Zoey Stark into a match with Shayna Baszler, she sat at ringside enjoying homemade lemonade.

She even mimicked Triple H with an impressive air spray during the bout, while Wade Barrett declared that her lemonade was decidedly "not bitter."

Clearly, the intent was to play on recent internet drama following The Man and Trish Stratus missing out on the SummerSlam card. This meta-work is perfect for Lynch, who needs to keep the internet behind her.

Her feud with Stratus will likely end on next week's Raw, and Shayna Baszler teased going after her next. No matter who her opponent is, The Man has showed she can make the most of it.

What has always made Lynch unique is that she can sell anything. She can move with the trends of the business and find fresh angles that build new talent.

If WWE truly commits to her as an anti-establishment figure who pushes against a company that won't fully commit to the women's division, she can lead the charge to a new high standard in the division. That will make her all the more popular.

LA Knight Has Entered the Next Level

LA Knight is too big a star now to keep on just SmackDown. He made a surprise appearance on Monday's Raw when he went to battle on the microphone with The Miz.

It was a great exchange that further highlights what makes The Megastar special.

Knight is a throwback performer who can not only work in the ring but also delivers on the mic. He has set catchphrases the fans have latched onto while fitting into any feud.

The 40-year-old clearly took inspiration from The Rock and "Stone Cold" Steve Austin while growing up as a fan and that makes him all the more endearing. He is a heightened version of the ultimate member of the WWE Universe.

No matter what he does next on the main roster, the crowd will follow him. It would be a shock if he is not holding gold soon.