WWE Clash of Champions: 5 Reasons why Shinsuke Nakamura retained the Intercontinental Title against The Miz
WWE Clash of Champions saw plenty of title matches and on SmackDown Live, one of those most personal rivalries has been between The Miz and Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura.
Nakamura, who is in his first reign with the historic title, was able to retain the gold against the A-Lister at the Pay Per View, which came as a shock to many who expected the title to change hands. There is always a reason for titles both changing hands or not, and this decision is no different.
Here are five reasons why Shinsuke Nakamura retained the Intercontinental Title against The Miz.
#5 Because Miz is moving up the card
At Clash of Champions, The Miz came up short against Nakamura, but that may have been a blessing in disguise for the A-Lister. Though the title was once considered the marking of a future World Champion, it's clear WWE doesn't quite see the title this same way anymore, as it's instead the top mid-card title.
Though he may have lost, The Miz could still be moving up the card, thanks to the impending WWE draft. The draft, which will take place next month, will effectively mark the end of the Wild Card rule, meaning fans shouldn't expect as many top stars on RAW taking up spots on SmackDown Live.
With a much smaller roster than before, the blue brand will be looking for stars to fill that void. The Miz (who is RAW, but could move to SmackDown), has already proven he can be a main event star (his 2010-2011 reign as WWE Champion being evidence of that) and could be moving up to bigger things despite last night's loss.
See WWE Clash Of Champions Results, Highlights of event, & more on WWE Clash Of Champions Results page