20 Most Unbelievable WWE Moments From 2016
4. Shinsuke Nakamura Debuts In NXT
Arguably the most unbelievable WWE debut of 2016 came the weekend of WrestleMania 32 when Shinsuke Nakamura made his NXT in-ring debut. Some might argue that AJ Styles's WWE debut was more shocking, but both debuts have to be considered 1 and 1A in 2016.
What might make Shinsuke's a little bit harder to imagine was the fact that Nakamura debuted as Shinsuke Nakamura and not some second-rate character with an NXT-generated ring name or a stereotypical Japanese-centric gimmick. WWE has a history of debuting talents from the Land of the Rising Sun with gimmicks centered around their Japanese heritage. While it's certainly not wrong to embrace a character's origins, the way WWE has done it previously would come across as offensive in 2016 (see: The Orient Express, Mr. Fuji, Hakushi).
Whereas fellow NJPW performers KENTA and Prince Devitt became Hideo Itami and Finn Bálor, Shinsuke Nakamura debuted at NXT Takeover: Dallas under the same ring name from his days wrestling in Japan. The only thing that had changed from The King Of Strong Style's character was the entrance music, and as classic as 'Subconscious' was in Japan, Nakamura's NXT theme is equally captivating.