Shinsuke Nakamura vs. Dolph Ziggler WWE Backlash 2017 Match Preview and Pick

Sunday night, the WWE Universe will be introduced to a charismatic Superstar the likes of which are rare.

Shinsuke Nakamura will shimmy down the aisle as only he can, captivating the fans in Chicago with his unique body movements and facial expressions before taking to the squared circle to show off his much-celebrated Japanese Strong Style against Dolph Ziggler in one of WWE Backlash's marquee bouts.

While the internationally renowned icon has made a name for himself in both New Japan Pro Wrestling and NXT, Sunday will be the first time he has the opportunity to set foot inside a main roster ring for a televised match.

In Ziggler, he has the perfect opponent to create art with.

The Showoff is motivated to prove himself the equal of the former NXT champion and will stop at nothing to stick it to Nakamura and the fans by defeating him in his first in-ring performance for the SmackDown brand.

Will he do that, or will Nakamura steamroll Ziggler en route to bigger and better things as part of the blue brand?

Background

The brand extension of 2016 brought with it exciting opportunities for Superstars whose talents had gone undervalued or unrecognized for too long. They were shoved into the midcard or beaten so many times they lost credibility.

The splitting of the WWE roster presented those performers with the chance to re-establish themselves as credible threats to championships and legitimate stars in the sports entertainment industry. One such Superstar was Ziggler, who immediately became No. 1 contender to WWE champion Dean Ambrose.

A loss in that high-profile SummerSlam bout and subsequent matches against The Miz for the Intercontinental Championship pushed Ziggler to the bring of breakdown. Once a proud and respected performer, he snapped, turning heel and making life miserable for midcard stars such as Apollo Crews and Kalisto.

A man on an island, he distanced himself from his fellow Superstars and worried only about himself and his career growth.

Then Nakamura arrived on the April 4 episode of SmackDown, and Ziggler became incensed.

The King of Strong Style received a thunderous ovation and became the most talked-about Superstar in WWE. This, despite the fact Ziggler had busted his back for the fans for eight years, giving them show-stealing performance after show-stealing performance and receiving nothing in return.

Nakamura was overrated, he argued, going as far as to tell the NXT export as much to his face. He also tried, on more than one occasion, to sneak-attack his new rival but found himself fleeing to the protection of the arena floor each and every time.

In need of a severe ego boost following his recent humiliations, Ziggler took it upon himself on the most recent episode of SmackDown Live to remind fans of every one of his accomplishments and greatest moments. This, after airing a blank tape supposedly housing Nakamura's WWE successes.

The Match

If any bout on Sunday's card must live up to expectations, it is Nakamura vs. Ziggler.

The King of Strong Style's face is all over the marketing material for the show. He is on the poster, the graphics and is heavily featured in the commercials. Nakamura is the Superstar around whom the pre-show hype has revolved, and anything less than a stellar performance from him and his dance partner will be considered a serious letdown.

Ziggler is an ideal opponent for Nakamura.

On top of being one of the most talented performers on the roster, he is also one of the most consistent.

The Showoff has routinely demonstrated an ability to work with Superstars of all styles and abilities and still pull out a quality wrestling match. Widely considered one of the best wrestlers on the planet, Nakamura is not a performer who will need to be carried by the two-time world champion.

What will benefit the former NXT star is Ziggler's willingness to bump around the ring to make his offense look simply stunning. Nakamura employs a strong-style offense, which already looks like it hurts.

With Ziggler willing to go the extra mile to make it look that much more effective, Nakamura will undoubtedly look like a beast of a performer in his first opportunity to make an impact on the WWE Universe at large.

Prediction

The outcome of this one is as foregone as any on the entire card.

Shinsuke Nakamura will win.

He has to. With all the hype, pomp and circumstance that has gone into his arrival, a loss in his first televised match would be crippling.

He is the face of WWE Backlash 2017 and, Sunday night, will run his televised win-loss record on the main roster to 1-0 with an impressive and hard-fought win over one of the more acclaimed performers of the past decade.