Shinsuke Nakamura's WWE return date revealed - Reports

WWE's Shinsuke Nakamura performed at live events in the last couple of months but has largely been kept off television. This came after noteworthy programs with Seth Rollins and Cody Rhodes between late 2023 and early 2024.

Nakamura's last televised match took place on the April 22 episode of RAW, where he lost a singles match to Sheamus in 11 minutes and 21 seconds. He was drafted to SmackDown the following week but has not made a single appearance on the blue brand yet. It seems fans of the Japanese sensation do not need to wait any longer.

Per PWInsider, The Artist is expected back this Friday as Brooklyn, New York, hosts WWE SmackDown. Furthermore, it is a double taping, meaning after the live show there will be another episode taped.

It is worth noting that during WWE's recent tours across Europe, Shinsuke Nakamura was consistently contending for LA Knight's United States Championship. In Japan, he challenged Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes a couple of times.

---

Konnan disappointed at WWE's mishandling of Shinsuke Nakamura

Wrestling veteran Konnan is admittedly a fan of Shinsuke Nakamura. He expressed utter disappointment recently on his podcast regarding The Artist's rise and fall in the span of only a few months.

Nakamura fell off the radar after a promising run in 2018, in which he became the first Japanese wrestler to win the Royal Rumble. Since then, his stock dropped significantly as he was not used in any major storylines. In the fall of 2023, his rivalry with then-World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins excited fans as he had never been booked stronger before.

Speaking on his Keepin' It 100 podcast, the veteran noted how WWE resuscitated The Artist only to fumble with the latter after the program with Seth Rollins culminated:

"Nakamura was very disappointing for me personally, because he was one of my favorite wrestlers," Konnan revealed. "When I last saw New Japan, after like, Nakamura, I tuned out. I liked him a lot. I think [the WWE] did a great job at resuscitating him. And then they did nothing with him."

Last year, Nakamura addressed the fact that he has not won a world title in WWE yet, and he hopes to rectify that. The 44-year-old said he hopes to be the company's first Asian World Heavyweight Champion. It remains to be seen how Triple H & Co. plan on using The Artist moving forward