SmackDown: Where was Shinsuke Nakamura amidst WWE absence? Exploring his last feud in the ring

The King of Strong Style is returning to SmackDown. During the post-WrestleMania 39 episode of SmackDown, it was announced that Shinsuke Nakamura would return to WWE on next week's show.

If he returns to the show next week, where has he been since he hasn't been on SmackDown? One huge reason why he hasn't been on WWE programming is that he was in Japan for Great Muta's retirement tour.

The WWE Hall of Famer retired earlier this year. He had a dream match with Nakamura for Pro Wrestling Noah on New Year's Day. The King of Strong Style won a battle between two Japanese wrestling icons.

Despite his absence, fans were always wondering when Nakamura would pop up next. With the announcement on SmackDown, the WWE Universe now knows. What will he do in his first appearance on SmackDown in over four months?

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Shinsuke Nakamura was a part of the SmackDown World Cup before his absence.

Shinsuke Nakamura's last televised match before his recent hiatus was against Santos Escobar in the first round of the SmackDown World Cup. The latter defeated the former NXT Champion. The King of Strong Style teamed up with Hit Row against Legado Del Fantasma late last year.

He also battled current Intercontinental Champion Gunther on several occasions, facing the Ring General for the title on SmackDown last August. Nakamura also faced Ludwig Kaiser during the feud.

With the additional announcement of an upcoming WWE Draft, Nakamura could move to RAW for a reboot. He was initially aligned with Rick Boogs to challenge the Usos for the SmackDown Tag Team Titles at WrestleMania 38. Boogs was hurt in the match, leaving Nakamura as a singles star.

He may be 43, but Shinsuke Nakamura is one of the more popular WWE stars. He's in great shape for his age. He could battle many stars, including LA Knight to Austin Theory, Bronson Reed, and Karrion Kross. Upon his return, he could also reform a team with Boogs if the tag team titles are split.