5 Shinsuke Nakamura Matches You Simply Must See

Excited about Nakamura arriving in NXT but in the dark about the man? Here's your homework.

by John Bills

Whilst he may not have officially signed with WWE as of yet, Shinsuke Nakamura's first match in a WWE ring has already been announced. At the next NXT: TakeOver special, Nakamura will face off against Sami Zayn in something of a dream match for pro wrestling enthusiasts. It promises to be something truly special. Nakamura's arrival in WWE is a genuinely big deal in the world of professional wrestling. He was one of the biggest stars in the history of New Japan Pro Wrestling, making up one third of the big three of the company along with Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kazuchika Okada. Those two may have continually fought over the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship recently, but it is undoubtedly Nakamura who has the greatest potential to appeal to western audiences. Still, the vast catalogue of work that the man known as Swagsuke has put together will be unknown to many WWE fans. He has done everything there was to be done in NJPW, winning all the titles and tournaments on offer in that company. His career can be divided into two parts so far. Initially he was a more serious than serious shoot fighter, all business all day long. Somewhere along his path this all changed, and he became the coolest man in professional wrestling, maintaining his strong style but adding more flair than anyone could imagine. It was a remarkable transition. For those who are unaware of where to start, here are five Shinsuke Nakamura matches you simply must see.

Contributor
Contributor

Born in the middle of Wales in the middle of the 1980's, John can't quite remember when he started watching wrestling but he has a terrible feeling that Dino Bravo was involved. Now living in Prague, John spends most of his time trying to work out how Tomohiro Ishii still stands upright. His favourite wrestler of all time is Dean Malenko, but really it is Repo Man. He is the author of 'An Illustrated History of Slavic Misery', the best book about the Slavic people that you haven't yet read. You can get that and others from www.poshlostbooks.com.