Dolph Ziggler Feud Proving to Be Ideal WWE Launch Point for Shinsuke Nakamura

When Shinsuke Nakamura officially steps between the ropes on WWE's main roster for the first time, it will be against a rival with a championship pedigree and a skill for exhibiting theatrical pain, a man who has a disdainful, grating persona.

It's becoming increasingly clear officials made the right choice in choosing a showdown with Dolph Ziggler for The King of Strong Style's opening act on the SmackDown brand. The Showoff won't offer Nakamura the dream match that AJ Styles or Kevin Owens would, but he will help the two-time NXT champ trot up the WWE mountain.

Nakamura vs. Ziggler at Sunday's Backlash pay-per-view will be the opening sonata of the Japanese star's symphony.

The pattern quite often for newly arriving stars is to pit them against the roster's bottom feeders. Or sometimes, WWE will bring in no-name grapplers to play the tin cans that a rising talent shoots down one at a time.

Braun Strowman's first match after the WWE draft last year came against pushover James Ellsworth. American Alpha faced the lowly Vaudevillains in their SmackDown debut. WWE isn't going that route with Nakamura.

Instead, his first opponent is of a higher caliber. Ziggler twice held the World Heavyweight Championship, he's a former Mr. Money in the Bank and a five-time intercontinental champion.

It will mean more to score a victory against him that it would against a jobber or three. And the fact that Nakamura skipped past the lowest tier of the card to start taking on the man who was in the hunt for the WWE title last SummerSlam speaks to his being special.

Ziggler will also serve as a memorable punching bag.

As much as Nakamura is a playful showman, he's also a hard-hitting striker. His King of Strong Style moniker refers to the physicality of his offense, something he displayed often in Japan.

To get the most out of him, WWE has to put that element on full display.

CBSSports.com' Brian Campbell said in his Backlash video preview: "I don't want to see a comedic Shinsuke. I want to see a stiff one. I basically want to see a shoot of a match with MMA moves. I want to see some hard-way bleeding."

If WWE takes Campbell's advice, who better to make Nakamura's vaunted strong style look deadly?

Ziggler is the king of selling his opponent's offense. At Backlash, every kick and knee strike will wobble Ziggler's knees. Every suplex will leave The Showoff writhing. 

In his debut match, Nakamura is sure to look like a gladiator with the mightiest of swords.

Credit: WWE.com

That wouldn't necessarily be the case with other opponents. Curt Hawkins or Jinder Mahal wouldn't be able to showcase Nakamura the way Ziggler will. 

And this current incarnation of The Showoff is the kind of guy fans will want to see Nakamura punch in the face.

Ziggler has been arrogant and whiny. He's dismissed Nakamura's previous accomplishments and talked about breaking the hearts of all his supporters. Ziggler is tired of hearing about Nakamura, while fans are anxious to see him on the SmackDown stage.

In that way, he's the inverse of the voice of the people.

Seeing Nakamura shut him up and prove him wrong will be extra fun. Ziggler is a buzzing gnat and The King of Strong Style is the flyswatter. There will be a sense of satisfaction among many in the crowd when the babyface takes down the egotist Ziggler.

That's pro wrestling booking 101, but it is more effective with Ziggler in a starring role than others might have been.

Ziggler is the former king raving about his reigns even though he's been supplanted. He's an over-the-top performer who amplifies his foe's offense. And he's going to pour every drop of himself into the match at Backlash even though he'll be asked to be a stepping stone.

And Nakamura will glad that's who first stepped up to him as he soars up the WWE ladder after putting The Showoff's head on his wall.