Two-thousand-sixteen will go down in history, as a year that WWE underwent massive changes and signed talent that most thought the company would never ink to a contract. Of those talents was NJPW legend, Shinsuke Nakamura.
Since making waves as one of NJPW’s “New Three Musketeers” in the early-2000s and becoming the youngest to win the IWGP heavyweight crown at 23, Nakamura had long established himself as the best wrestler most of the WWE audience had never heard of.
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That was all cast aside this past April when Nakamura made his NXT debut, and since then, he has quickly established himself to WWE audiences as one of the world’s best.
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#5 His entrance
A wrestler’s entrance is his only chance at a first impression and outside of Finn Balor and The Undertaker; it seemed to have become a bit of a lost art in sports entertainment.
Nakamura’s entrances in both NJPW and NXT buck that trend, as The King of Strong Style, uses his entrance as an opportunity to display his fluidity, eccentricity, and unpredictability to the fans, who show their exaltation for Nakamura, singing along every time his music hits.
#4 Ability to overcome language barrier
While he is far from the best talker in WWE or NXT, Shinsuke can speak English clearly enough to get his point across to audiences, who hang on his every word despite the shortcoming.
This has long been an issue in WWE for almost any star, who had an accent that is not normally heard in the United States, and Nakamura has handled it gracefully, keeping his promos short, sweet and, to the point. It doesn’t seem to be a hindrance in his career, as it has for many others before him.
Being bilingual also helps in WWE’s quest to grow a bigger foothold in the Asian markets, given his ability to reach more people along with his already established name.
#3 Positive fan reaction
Until recently, WWE fans had a reputation of not taking to superstars from outside North America and even when they would, it wasn’t with the fervent devotion shown to other superstars from somewhere a little closer to home. Nakamura has been part of a group to have thrown that trend to the wolves, bonding with the fans, in a way that few others can.
This was exhibited greatly at TakeOver Brooklyn II, one of the most patriotic audiences in the United States when nary a “USA!” chant broke out during his match against Samoa Joe, a Californian. This is a rare feat, as blind patriotism usually finds its way into matches pitting Americans against those from outside the US.
#2 His matches
Including his IWGP Intercontinental Championship match against AJ Styles at WrestleKingdom X this past January, Nakamura has been a part of no less than four 2016 Match of the Year candidates. The match with Styles, as well as his encounters with Samoa Joe, Finn Balor and Sami Zayn could all be called Match of the Year, without it being questioned too seriously.
No matter who Nakamura is in there with, there is always the potential for a show-stealing match. Nakamura knows how to pace himself to be able to compete in a match all night if he has to, and his storytelling ability is paramount. If a fan is going to a show and Shinsuke Nakamura is on it, that fan is not going home disappointed.
#1 His technical ability
In the ring, The King of Strong Style is without an equal. He rarely makes a mistake, and every move he performs is smooth. Nakamura is leading the effort to shed the stigma that technical savviness isn’t important in NXT or WWE, with every match he has.
It should go without saying, that Nakamura is recognised widely by Internet pundits and members of the locker room as the best ring technician in wrestling today. His timing is unmatched and his ability to get fans emotionally invested in his matches is unparalleled.
This reason alone should ensure that Nakamura is considered the best in the business today, but when combined with the other reasons given, it’s easy to see why the King of Strong Style, is the best wrestler in the world.
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