Some people aren't just pro wrestlers, they're global icons and folk heroes, too. Shinsuke Nakamura blends a legitimate background in mixed martial arts with a gimmick that blends the best parts of Chris Jericho, Freddie Mercury and Michael Jackson. In being a tough rock and roll showman who can knee you into unconsciousness, Nakamura's one of wrestling's most fascinating superstars. In a manner similar to John Cena with the US Championship, Nakamura took New Japan's secondary Intercontinental Championship and elevated it to an unseen level of prestige with his third run with the championship from September 2014-May 2015. Much of New Japan's impressive business rebounding can be directly linked to Nakamura, as his "King of Strong Style" moniker definitely points to how iconic he's become in Japanese wrestling lore.
Besides having been an independent professional wrestling manager for a decade, Marcus Dowling is a Washington, DC-based writer who has contributed to a plethora of online and print magazines and newspapers writing about music and popular culture over the past 15 years.
