7 Most Insane Things Happening In Wrestling Right Now (May 24)

4. Shinsuke Nakamura: Gutsy Underdog!

Jinder Mahal WWE
WWE.com

Shinsuke Nakamura in New Japan Pro Wrestling was an unhinged sh*tkicker of a professional wrestler - so vicious and lethal that he once kicked Kota Ibushi into a state of delirium in the classic semi-final of Wrestle Kingdom 9.

When he signed with WWE in 2016, it rocked the wrestling landscape. Here was a top NJPW star, firmly entrenched in the main event scene, who had arguably surpassed company Ace Hiroshi Tanahashi in popularity. Nakamura Vs. Kazuchika Okada was a Tokyo Dome main event match in waiting. His unprecdented move to the west signalled the sea change in WWE. His debut match, opposite Sami Zayn, was both revelation and revolution. In a glorious exhibition of Strong Style, he even kneed Zayn square in the back of f*cking head, from the top rope, to put his King of Strong Style persona over the top.

Fast forward one year later, and Shinsuke Nakamura fought from underneath in typical WWE babyface fashion against Dolph Ziggler - who enjoyed the majority of offence - at Backlash on Sunday. You could buy it with Samoa Joe, what with the size advantage. You could buy it with Bobby Roode - his classically slimy, NWA, body part-targeting psychology was an unknown quantity to him. But Dolph Ziggler? The guy who is more of a specialist in failure than Arsene Wenger?

On Sunday's evidence, WWE have taken the most extraordinary wrestler on the planet and remoulded him into something ordinary. Why even sign him in the first place?

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!