Shinsuke Nakamura Reporting To WWE Performance Center In February

Shinsuke Nakamura's debut with WWE is inching closer to a reality, as PWInsider reports that he will report to the WWE Performance Center in Florida in early February. Nakamura was recently stripped of his IWGP Intercontinental Championship by New Japan Pro Wrestling and will finish up his commitments for the company at the end of January. Nakamura is expected to stay at WWE's Performance Center while he undergoes medical testing to be cleared to wrestle for WWE full-time, at which time he will also sign his contract. While Nakamura awaits medical clearance, he's expected to train at WWE's Florida facility and familiarize himself with WWE's wrestling style and production. Once Nakamura passes WWE's full medical testing regimen, he will sign on the dotted line. For those worrying that this is a sign that Nakamura will be relegated to the NXT roster from the start, we are still being told that the plan is still for Nakamura to be a main roster talent. In order to bring New Japan's biggest star to North America, WWE will be investing a considerable amount of money into his contract, and they aren't going to spend that kind of money for him to remain in NXT long-term. In comparison to Finn Balor and Hideo Itami's deals, two big stars from New Japan in the past that made the jump to WWE, Nakamura's deal is expected to be more lucrative at the start. Thus, WWE will need to justify the expense by having Nakamura on the main roster, which has been the plan from the start.