WWE announces that Shinsuke Nakamura is heading to NXT

[Big Red Machine]

Source: WrestleView

Wednesday, 27 January 2016 20:46
by Jason Namako

Courtesy of WWE.com:

Shinsuke Nakamura is coming to NXT

Yes, the rumors are true. Shinsuke Nakamura is coming to WWE NXT.

At Wednesday night's NXT taping at Full Sail University in Orlando, Fla., a video announcing the impending arrival of the Japanese standout played for the live crowd, sending shockwaves through the arena and, moments later, the social media world.

Complete NXT coverage | Watch NXT on WWE Network

Nakamura, a 14-year veteran of the squared circle, has been a leading star in the New Japan promotion since 2002. Renowned for his striking and submission ability, as well as his unorthodox charisma, Nakamura's devastating Bomaye knee strike has felled many opponents and his smash mouth style has earned him the nickname The King of Strong Style. A three-time IWGP Champion — the same once title held by the likes of Vader, The Great Muta and AJ Styles — Nakamura is the youngest competitor to win that championship, capturing it for the first time at 23. He has taken on a who's who of the best grapplers in the world in his career, facing the likes of Finn Bálor, Kevin Owens, Hideo Itami, WWE Performance Center Head Coach Matt Bloom and The Beast Incarnate himself, Brock Lesnar.

Rumors of Nakamura coming to WWE first started in early January, along with gossip about AJ Styles and Bullet Club members Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows returning to America. Reports about Styles became truth during the 2016 Royal Rumble Match when The Phenomenal One entered at No. 3. Now, The King of Strong Style has decreed that he will be stepping between the yellow ropes in the not-so-distant future.

What does Shinsuke Nakamura have planned for NXT and The Superstars of Tomorrow? Find out by tuning into NXT, every Wednesday at 8/7 C, only on WWE Network!

[cero2k]

he already feels like just another guy

[Big Red Machine]

he already feels like just another guy

How can you possibly say that?

[cero2k]

he already feels like just another guy

How can you possibly say that?

there is something about being unobtainable, WWE is the rich kid that can buy anything, and he can get any girl because he's rich, but then there is this girl, that is prettier than all of WWE's girls, but WWE has never been able to hook up with her, this girl has even rejected WWE before, and it's not like rich boy will marry her or loves her, he just wants to prove that he can get the prettiest girls. That girl feels special, because the rich boy can't get the prettiest girl. Except then rich boy eventually does buy her out, and she's just like all the other girls that rich boy has been with.

I respect Punk because he's the one that 'got away'. I used to respect Del Rio because he had proven that he was better off without them. I respect the Bucks (so far), because they reject the rich kid. Unless you're a part timer (or John Cena) in WWE, you're just another guy in the mix, AJ and Nakamura all felt larger than life, larger than WWE on January 4, now they're just another name in the roster, wrestling Curtis Axel on smackdown and doing nxt

[Big Red Machine]

he already feels like just another guy

How can you possibly say that?

there is something about being unobtainable, WWE is the rich kid that can buy anything, and he can get any girl because he's rich, but then there is this girl, that is prettier than all of WWE's girls, but WWE has never been able to hook up with her, this girl has even rejected WWE before, and it's not like rich boy will marry her or loves her, he just wants to prove that he can get the prettiest girls. That girl feels special, because the rich boy can't get the prettiest girl. Except then rich boy eventually does buy her out, and she's just like all the other girls that rich boy has been with.

I respect Punk because he's the one that 'got away'. I used to respect Del Rio because he had proven that he was better off without them. I respect the Bucks (so far), because they reject the rich kid. Unless you're a part timer (or John Cena) in WWE, you're just another guy in the mix, AJ and Nakamura all felt larger than life, larger than WWE on January 4, now they're just another name in the roster, wrestling Curtis Axel on smackdown and doing nxt

There is a point that you are missing here. The metaphorical girl's side of it. AJ (and Anderson and Gallows) made it clear that they were looking for the deal that would allow them to make the most money for their families. At this point, AJ is happy to spend a few years as WWE's trophy-wife if it lets him provide for his family.
Similarly, Nakamura (like KENTA) has signed with WWE because he wants to try being a big star in the US and this is his big chance. WWE is not the same WWE that Nakamura turned down. This is a WWE where AJ Styles and Samoa Joe and Kevin Steen and KENTA and Prince Devitt are pretty much allowed to be themselves and are getting over for it.
He is a man chasing his dream. Be happy for him.

[cero2k]

There is a point that you are missing here. The metaphorical girl's side of it. AJ (and Anderson and Gallows) made it clear that they were looking for the deal that would allow them to make the most money for their families. At this point, AJ is happy to spend a few years as WWE's trophy-wife if it lets him provide for his family.
Similarly, Nakamura (like KENTA) has signed with WWE because he wants to try being a big star in the US and this is his big chance. WWE is not the same WWE that Nakamura turned down. This is a WWE where AJ Styles and Samoa Joe and Kevin Steen and KENTA and Prince Devitt are pretty much allowed to be themselves and are getting over for it.
He is a man chasing his dream. Be happy for him.

I'm not saying i'm not happy for him, I hope he makes enough money and quickly so he can go back a millionaire. Over the inevitability that they are coming to WWE whether i like it or not, I really want all of these guys to be big deals, I want Nakamura vs Steen vs Styles vs Devitt to main event WM, but none of that negates the fact that they're just another dude in WWE fighting Curtis Axel in smackdown. If this was 2002 WWE and guys could still debut as big deals, i'd be more happy about it, but it's 2016

[XIV]

Cero, you're painting it like they're sell outs.

But look at it like this.

It's a job. If someone offered you a job, more money, security and it was the best thing for your family. Would you take it?

AJ is building his retirement fund. He's honest about that.
Nakamura is looking to build his reputation and his own stock.
Joe is taking the step he's always wanted into the WWE.

They're not selling out. They're doing what's best for them as individuals and fair play to then for that and I wish them all the best.

[cero2k]

Cero, you're painting it like they're sell outs.

But look at it like this.

It's a job. If someone offered you a job, more money, security and it was the best thing for your family. Would you take it?

AJ is building his retirement fund. He's honest about that.
Nakamura is looking to build his reputation and his own stock.
Joe is taking the step he's always wanted into the WWE.

They're not selling out. They're doing what's best for them as individuals and fair play to then for that and I wish them all the best.

not trying to paint them as sell outs (except Del Rio), and supposing a that job is not selling my soul, i would too take a job. I don't blame them at all, WWE pays more, medical insurance, US/Worldwide reach. It's like I was saying, I just don't feel that anyone in the roster, except Lesnar, feels like a big deal million dollar man. I don't know if it's overexposure, or 50/50 booking, or the dumbed down presentation and attitude, but as a fan, I see Okada and I see Reigns, Okada feels like a god in the sky that I will never touch, while Reigns is over there on earth, he'll probably sign autographs at the mall. Think of it like when we were younger, Hogan, Warrior, Stone Cold, Taker, they all felt like Titans with a capital T, today's roster, they're just TMZ celebrities.

Del Rio resonates a lot to me, he was whatever in WWE, but then he got fired and because a hero to a country, a hero against racism, he went back to WWE, and he's just another dude trading wins and loses.

[Big Red Machine]

There is a point that you are missing here. The metaphorical girl's side of it. AJ (and Anderson and Gallows) made it clear that they were looking for the deal that would allow them to make the most money for their families. At this point, AJ is happy to spend a few years as WWE's trophy-wife if it lets him provide for his family.
Similarly, Nakamura (like KENTA) has signed with WWE because he wants to try being a big star in the US and this is his big chance. WWE is not the same WWE that Nakamura turned down. This is a WWE where AJ Styles and Samoa Joe and Kevin Steen and KENTA and Prince Devitt are pretty much allowed to be themselves and are getting over for it.
He is a man chasing his dream. Be happy for him.

I'm not saying i'm not happy for him, I hope he makes enough money and quickly so he can go back a millionaire. Over the inevitability that they are coming to WWE whether i like it or not, I really want all of these guys to be big deals, I want Nakamura vs Steen vs Styles vs Devitt to main event WM, but none of that negates the fact that they're just another dude in WWE fighting Curtis Axel in smackdown. If this was 2002 WWE and guys could still debut as big deals, i'd be more happy about it, but it's 2016

There is only one big deal in WWE right now, and that's Roman Reigns. This means that everyone else has to debut as upper-card deals and be presented strongly until after Roman is firmly established. That's what they're doing.
No offense, but it seems like you won't be happy with anything short of winning the world title on his first night.

[Big Red Machine]

Cero, you're painting it like they're sell outs.

But look at it like this.

It's a job. If someone offered you a job, more money, security and it was the best thing for your family. Would you take it?

AJ is building his retirement fund. He's honest about that.
Nakamura is looking to build his reputation and his own stock.
Joe is taking the step he's always wanted into the WWE.

They're not selling out. They're doing what's best for them as individuals and fair play to then for that and I wish them all the best.

not trying to paint them as sell outs (except Del Rio), and supposing a that job is not selling my soul, i would too take a job. I don't blame them at all, WWE pays more, medical insurance, US/Worldwide reach. It's like I was saying, I just don't feel that anyone in the roster, except Lesnar, feels like a big deal million dollar man. I don't know if it's overexposure, or 50/50 booking, or the dumbed down presentation and attitude, but as a fan, I see Okada and I see Reigns, Okada feels like a god in the sky that I will never touch, while Reigns is over there on earth, he'll probably sign autographs at the mall. Think of it like when we were younger, Hogan, Warrior, Stone Cold, Taker, they all felt like Titans with a capital T, today's roster, they're just TMZ celebrities.

That's because of where wrestling is in the mainstream right now in the US, UK, Canada, & Germany. Not because of where WWE is positioning them.

[cero2k]

There is only one big deal in WWE right now, and that's Roman Reigns. This means that everyone else has to debut as upper-card deals and be presented strongly until after Roman is firmly established. That's what they're doing.
No offense, but it seems like you won't be happy with anything short of winning the world title on his first night.

and why can we only have one 'big deal' that is not even a big deal? NJPW had 4 big deal guys. AAA had 4 big deal guys, even ROH had AJ feel like a big deal while Jay was the champ. Just because there is only one world title in the company doesn't mean that the rest can't be big deal fueds too. I don't expect them to win the world title, but their signing should shake the WWE ground, from day 1 it should have been established and sold, that even though AJ and Reigns are doing their own thing right now, their paths can cross one day. It should be sold that even thought we have our champion, this new challenger just arrived and maybe one day he'll go for the title and we'll see if our champion is truly the best.

That's because of where wrestling is in the mainstream right now in the US, UK, Canada, & Germany. Not because of where WWE is positioning them.

it's both. Lesnar is still the example. he's not overexposed, he doesn't do dumb commercials or dumb presentations everywhere. and he's a bigger 'celebrity' than most of the guys in the roster

[Big Red Machine]

There is only one big deal in WWE right now, and that's Roman Reigns. This means that everyone else has to debut as upper-card deals and be presented strongly until after Roman is firmly established. That's what they're doing.
No offense, but it seems like you won't be happy with anything short of winning the world title on his first night.

and why can we only have one 'big deal' that is not even a big deal? NJPW had 4 big deal guys. AAA had 4 big deal guys, even ROH had AJ feel like a big deal while Jay was the champ. Just because there is only one world title in the company doesn't mean that the rest can't be big deal fueds too. I don't expect them to win the world title, but their signing should shake the WWE ground, from day 1 it should have been established and sold, that even though AJ and Reigns are doing their own thing right now, their paths can cross one day. It should be sold that even thought we have our champion, this new challenger just arrived and maybe one day he'll go for the title and we'll see if our champion is truly the best.

1. Because WWE is trying to make a new top guy, keep some top guys where they are. When New Japan was making AJ, AJ didn't lose to anyone aside from Okada, and AJ was actually 3-2 against Okada that year.
2. Because of the injury situation, WWE only has enough top people to make one top guy. If they had Cena and Orton and Rollins and Bryan then maybe they could make 2 top guys at once, but they don't.
(and a second world title- or even a well-respected/protected midcard title- would make this easier)

Look... you are correct. The problem lies entirely in WWE's booking and philosophy. If WWE had been doing things different for the past three or four years, allowing the Zigglers and Barretts and Sheamus and Codys and Brays of the world to actually become top guys along with Cena and Orton and Punk and Bryan, then WWE wouldn't be in this situation right now because they would have people other than Kane and Miz for the Rollins, Reigns, Abroses and Rusevs to beat right now to make them important despite all of the injuries.
But that's not what WWE did.
If they weren't so f*cking dead set that "ROMAN REIGNS MUST BE THE GUY," then they wouldn't be running into all of these problems.
But that's not how WWE has been thinking.

We are stuck in the world we live in. That doesn't mean that you shouldn't criticize WWE for it... but it also means that you need to have realistic expectations about the way things are going to be. The way WWE has booked AJ so far (and announced that they will be using Nakamura so far) does not preclude them from becoming big deals in the near future and shows a clear desire to protect them, and I think that that is the best we could have hoped for.

[KILLdozer]

Oh yes, Roman Reigns MUST be THAT GUY!

[KILLdozer]

Nakamura laided out Itami.