10 current wrestlers who were legends even before joining WWE

#3 Shinsuke Nakamura

The greatest IWGP Intercontinental Champion in history

So far, it is actually unfair to call Shinsuke Nakamura's run on WWE main roster a successful one.

Underwhelming matches and disappointing feuds, coupled with awkward booking decisions, saw him flounder on the main roster just months after his debut, but he bounced back with a phenomenal heel turn that brought the Nakamura of old back again.

Speaking of old Nakamura, The King of Strong Style was a highly acclaimed Superstar in Japan before making a jump to WWE, which everyone knows.

It was the combined efforts of Nakamura and Hiroshi Tanahashi that brought NJPW back on the wrestling map during the mid-2000s.

His matches with Tanahashi, Kota Ibushi, and Kazuchika Okada were some of the best in the history of the company.

While Nakamura is still fighting with AJ Styles to win his first main roster title in WWE, his 14-year tenure with NJPW saw him win the gold 14 times.

A record five-time IWGP Intercontinental Champion, Shinsuke is regarded as the greatest Champion in the company's history and someone who provided legitimacy to the title.

Complementing these five reigns are his 3 reigns as IWGP Heavyweight Champion and 1 reign as Tag Team Champion.