Shinsuke Nakamura pins John Cena clean, will face Jinder Mahal for the WWE title at SummerSlam

The dream match is no longer a dream. The reality: Shinsuke Nakamura def. John Cena via pinfall.

WWE booked these two for the main event of this week’s episode of SmackDown Live in Cleveland to determine who would go on to SummerSlam on Aug. 20 in Brooklyn to challenge Jinder Mahal for the WWE championship. Considering Cena returned last month and immediately established himself as the American patriot desperate to prove this country’s superiority, and Mahal has been booked as the evil foreign champion representing another country, it seemed clear we were headed to a Vince McMahon favorite: the American hero conquering.

Nope!

Instead, Nakamura countered Cena’s STF, kicked out of the Attitude Adjustment, suplexed Cena right onto his neck, then hit Kinsasha to pin him clean in the center of the ring.

Cena, despite getting dumped on his neck, put Nakamura over with a handshake and a raised arm before exiting.

Here’s the updated SummerSlam match card:

• Brock Lesnar vs. Braun Strowman vs. Roman Reigns vs. Samoa Joe (Universal championship)
• Jinder Mahal vs. Shinsuke Nakamura (WWE championship)
• Alexa Bliss vs. Bayley (Raw women’s championship)
• Naomi vs. Natalya (SmackDown women’s championship)
• AJ Styles vs. Kevin Owens (United States championship, Shane McMahon guest referee)
• Rusev vs. Randy Orton