Shinsuke Nakamura's Name And Gimmick Will Not Be Altered In WWE
WWE files to trademark the Japanese sensation's monikers.
Both new and loyal fans of Shinsuke Nakamura can breathe a sigh of relief, as it appears Nakamura will not have his name or gimmick changed after signing and debuting for WWE.
There was concern that WWE would alter the King of Strong Style's moniker after Japanese stars Kana and Kenta - known as Asuka and Hideo Itami in NXT - were repackaged upon debut.
Thankfully, PWInsider.com confirmed that the company has filed for "Shinsuke Nakamura" and "King of Strong Style" to be trademarked.
As was the case with Kana and Kenta, WWE has proved it is no stranger to altering the personas of its newly-acquired talent. While many signings have been allowed to keep the gimmicks that made them successful elsewhere, an unnecessary name adjustment is often assumed.
That trend has thankfully become less prevalent in recent times, with Nakamura joining the likes of AJ Styles and Samoa Joe in keeping all aspects of his character from outside WWE.
The company appears to be wasting little time capitalising on the popularity of the New Japan Pro Wrestling veteran, with Nakamura following up his victory over Sami Zayn at NXT TakeOver: Dallas with a win against Tye Dillinger on this week's episode of NXT.