12 Best Runs By WWE Stars In OTHER Companies
1. Shinsuke Nakamura - NJPW
If you've only seen Shinsuke Nakamura perform his craft in WWE, you can be forgiven for wondering what all the fuss is about. What's with all the wacky movements? He's not up to much in the ring is he? He seems to do everything at half speed, with half the commitment, half the interest. A few thrilling performances in NXT notwithstanding, Shinsuke Nakamura has spent his four years in WWE cashing cheques and doing little else.
But if you've only seen Shinsuke Nakamura perform his craft in WWE, then you are depriving yourself of some of the most magnetic performances in modern pro wrestling history. Nakamura in WWE is a shell of Nakamura in NJPW, where the King of Strong Style as good as owned the place. Sure, he didn't do so with IWGP Championship reigns in those latter years (his last IWGP title run was in 2009), but it was Swagsuke who made the IWGP Intercontinental Championship the prestigious title it is today.
He did it while being undeniably the coolest man in every single room he found himself in. Shinsuke Nakamura staggered his way through NJPW with a charisma that was unmatched in the world of professional wrestling, an intangible X-factor that he backed up with serious in-ring ability. Nakamura's matches with Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kazuchika Okada, Kota Ibushi, Satoshi Kojima and more will live long in the memory.
Nakamura's incredible NJPW run came to an end in magical style, with a Tokyo Dome classic against future WrestleMania opponent AJ Styles. If you want to see what all the fuss is about re; Shinsuke, sign up to New Japan World and watch that 2016 bout, immediately. It is worth every single one of the 999 yen.