Did Shinsuke Nakamura fight in MMA? Fight record of the WWE superstar who once turned down a UFC deal   

WWE superstar Shinsuke Nakamura is no stranger to the world of mixed martial arts. In fact, during the early 2000s, before his WWE superstardom, Nakamura was a rising prospect in the MMA.

He holds an impressive mixed martial arts record of 3-1 with one NC (no contest). The Kyoto native started his fighting career with a submission defeat against Daniel Gracie at Inoki Bom-Ba-Ye 2002 - K-1 vs. Inoki in December 2002.

Since then, the Japanese fighter has been undefeated. In his last MMA fight at K-1 MMA - Romanex in 2004, Nakamura secured a second-round submission win against Alexey Ignashov.

Watch Nakamura vs. Ignashov below:

During his stint at New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) in 2005, the 43-year-old was offered a contract by the UFC. Although he saw the opportunity as a golden ticket for his MMA career, Nakamura stayed true to his pro-wrestling roots and turned down the offer.

In an interview with Hindustan Times during the WWE Summerslam in 2017, Shinsuke Nakamura spoke about losing out on the opportunity to fight in the premier promotion.

"Around 2005, UFC offered me a chance to fight for them," said Nakamura. "But, at that moment, I was under contract with NJPW, and I decided to stay in pro wrestling. It was a good opportunity, but I don’t regret my choice."

Furthermore, the veteran added that he doesn't envision returning to MMA since he is happy at the WWE. He is a two-time WWE Intercontinental and United States champion.

In his most recent pro-wrestling appearance, 'The King of Strong Style' lost his WWE Payback headliner against world heavyweight champion Seth Rollins.

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Watch: WWE superstars Shinsuke Nakamura and Matt Riddle train jiu-jitsu together

Although it has been over two decades since Shinsuke Nakamura competed in professional MMA, the pro-wrestling star still keeps up with his martial arts training.

In recent footage released by the WWE, Nakamura and former UFC star Matt Riddle can be seen training jiu-jitsu. In the video, Riddle expresses his excitement at having an opportunity to train with 'The King of Strong Style,' saying:

"Teaching jiu-jitsu and having Shinsuke come in, especially with his reputation, what he brings to the table and his skill set, one - its an honor, two - it's a pleasure. Three- he's awesome on and off the mat, and he's great to roll with."

Watch Shinsuke Nakamura and Matt Riddle train jiu-jitsu below: