Shinsuke Nakamura

[10.0] "WWE fucked my boy up BAD. When he won the rumble, I had hopes that he'd go to the top, but all we were given were shitty US title matches with literally no story. Heel or not, they sucked. It doesn't change the fact that he is still one of the best wrestlers on WWE's current roster. Hope he eventually gets booked well."

[10.0] "The youngest IWGP Heavyweight Champion in history... We can't judge him only as a wrestler because I don't think he's just a wrestler. He's also an artist. Everything he does is unique. His matches as the King of Strong Style could make people who don't know wrestling think it's real. He blends MMA and pro wrestling so well. He's the one who made me love wrestling. I don't think we'll ever see another wrestler like him. Enjoy him while he's here."

[9.0] "A very complex character to rate, Nakamura has a divisive career, with completely different moments, but ultimately I have a lot of love for him, and he's undeniably a legend. During the early stage of his career, he was the perfect guy for New Japan and what Inoki wanted, but the problem is that the company was doing very badly, and Nakamura had to reinvent himself, from a good wrestler with a lot of potential, to the King of Strong Style, and all of his supposed 'charisma problems' vanished with that new gimmick. As a heel, Nakamura thrived and made the most out of his style, finally being able to fulfill his potential. By the time he left New Japan for WWE, Shinsuke was arguably the biggest thing in pro wrestling, and that's a huge deal. Unfortunately the WWE chapter is more negative than positive, he had some moments, the presentation was wonderful, but the booking wasn't so good, and he was probably less motivated, to be polite. Despite those mixed feelings, I enjoy a lot to watch him wrestle, specially when he's being stiff and murdering his opponents with the strong style."

[0.0] "Wrestler who was put a lot of hope on back in 2018, but he's completely let himself go over the years, hasn't developed at all, and doesn't want to put in any effort. Whenever he wins a title, it seems like the title dies in his hands. Even recently, he won the US title, they gave him an interesting character, but he did nothing interesting with that title -- I can't even remember how he lost it. The same with the IC title in 2019. Or his program with gauntlet match in 2021, when he could have legitimately been a contender for a match against Reigns. And even that storyline just fizzled out and ended with nothing (! ). I was against his loss at WM34; I wanted him to take the title, and I thought it was logical and 100% doable. But Nakamura is fine with it -- he doesn't want to build a nice career for himself. I just don't understand why I support a wrestler who doesn't care about himself, who totally doesn't try and doesn't want to fight for it."

[10.0] "Shinsuke is no longer in his prime, but I think he still performs well. His work in NJPW and NXT was very good; he even had good and entertaining matches against Bad Luck Fale and Bob Sapp back in the day, as well as excellent and good matches against Tanahashi, Ibushi, Ishii, Okada, Samoa Joe, Roode, La Sombra (Andrade), Sami, AJ Styles, Naito, and Shibata. His work on WWE's main roster has been disappointing due to poor booking decisions, but he's had some good matches, though not as good as his best matches in NJPW and NXT. I enjoyed his mini-feud with Seth Rollins. He is very charismatic and used to connect with the crowd, but poor booking decisions affected those reactions. They should've pulled the trigger when he faced Jinder, but for some reason they did not. When he lost against AJ Styles, it was the nail in the coffin--it completely buried him. Those poor midcard title reigns did not do him any favors. Many excuse the language barrier and his thick accent, but the man speaks English, and now that you see how Iyo and Stephanie are pushed despite the language barrier, I think there is no excuse why this man never became world champion."

[6.0] "Nakamura's current character just doesn't click the way it used to. The charisma and eccentric "King of Strong Style" persona that made him stand out in NXT and NJPW has lost some of its luster, and his current gimmick feels underdeveloped or stagnant. Fans might find it hard to get invested in his matches because the storytelling around his character isn't compelling."

[10.0] "Shinsuke Nakamura is one of the best things that ever happened to WWE. It's unfortunate they didn't use him properly. Shinsuke doesn't deserve to be mid-card or low-card; he's way above them in terms of character, storytelling, and in-ring performance."

[6.0] "Probably the most obvious example of how much a company really can affect a wrestlers look , feel and performance. Nakamura in NXT had the charisma a modern day Eddie would be proud off. Now.. he is just barely a midcarder who can have good matches at times. He managed to get a bit off a push in a program against Seth Rollins for the world title not to long ago and unfortunately I think that program just proved what everyone was trying to avoid.. he just doesn't have it anymore (atleast in WWE). Nakamura vs Seth 10years ago would've been guaranteed bangers and likely some of the best ever. Instead we got a heel Nakamura allowing himself to be carried to a half decent stretch of matches by easily one of the best active wrestlers right now which is not a bad thing necessarily but it is if you are Shinsuke fricking Nakamura, the king of strongstyle, the guy who had almost nothing but all time classics in NJPW. Also what even frustrates me more is Shinsuke has one of the coolest ring names ever in "The king of strongstyle" and his look very much perfectly matches that, alongside the infamous "Bring it" taunt he really sells himself perfectly. But due to horrible booking, no real promo skills (in English) and him I guess staying for the money he has became your modern day midcard heel whos sole purpose is just filling a blank slot on a weekly show. What a shame. 6/10"

"[10.0] Shinsuke is one of the best wrestlers of all time in my opinion and it is an absolute shame the WWE have never given him the big title push he deserved. The mystique around him during his NXT and early main roster days was truly one of a kind and it feels like with better booking and bigger opportunities he would have never lost that wow factor but unfortunately we live in the timeline where he is now a losing mid carder at best"

[10.0] "Shinsuke is a hell of a wrestler, he is really good and capable of more than we can see now. He always try to put some interesting moments with his gimmicks. But now he is just sitting on contract and gets paid and that's sad for me, cause he should be higher than this, he should become a WWE champion before he finish"

[8.0] "Nakamura is a rare blend of charisma, style, and in-ring ability who made his name as one of the most dynamic performers in the world. His rise in New Japan Pro Wrestling was nothing short of legendary. With his "King of Strong Style" persona, Nakamura became known for his explosive strikes, unorthodox movements, and a magnetic presence that felt like part rockstar, part assassin. His matches with the likes of Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kota Ibushi, and AJ Styles are considered some of the best of the modern era, blending storytelling with brutality in a way few could match. When he arrived in WWE, especially in NXT, there was a clear sense that a star had entered the room. His debut against Sami Zayn is still held up as one of NXT's finest matches. However, Nakamura's main roster run has been inconsistent. He has had moments of brilliance, including a Royal Rumble win and a WrestleMania match with AJ Styles, but his momentum was often stifled by questionable booking and stop-start pushes. Even when underutilized, his entrance alone can electrify a crowd and remind fans of the unique presence he brings. While he may not have fully lived up to his potential in WWE, Nakamura remains a world-class talent with a mystique and style that few can emulate. Whether he's in the title picture or just putting on a showcase match, he brings an unmistakable flavor that elevates any card he's on"

[10.0] "for a very good time frame in like 2013-2014, this was my absolute favorite wrestler in the world, prime shinsuke nakamura might genuinely be one of the best in the world at any point"

[7.0] "washed + great repertoire but he has coasted for years and that is inexcusable + never tried to learn the language + wsn't even that good in njpw + he's like the sheamus of njpw and no disprecpect to mr fight night but he is NOT a 9/10 and neither is nakamura"

[7.0] "It's a testament to how magnetic Nakamura is at his best that anyone rates him at all. Even the height of his New Japan run was filled with phoning it in performances outside the major shows, and his heartfelt promise to bring strong style to WWE has been a pathetic joke pretty much from the day after he arrived with his first and only truly great singles match against Sami Zayn. Since then, he's got a ***3/4 ceiling (which he rarely approaches) and more often than not is an afterthought. But man oh man, when he turns it on, he really was one of the best in the world. From 2012 to 2016 he adjusted to being New Japan's second banana by forging a completely viable alternate path to stardom beneath the IWGP heavyweight chase, allowing a number of workers to breakout while leaving Okada and Tanahashi to work out their brilliant story for the title of Ace. That the IC belt often superseded the main title in terms of crowd draw is a testament to how much he elevated it and his partners (and himself). If that Shinsuke came out even once a year in the WWE, he'd be one of their 10 best workers. As it is, he'll sadly go down as something of a recurring footnote in New Japan's finest era."

[7.0] "Shinsuke is certainly capable of delivering big still, but he doesn't. He was one of the best in Japan during the first decade and a half of this century. When Shinsuke first came to WWE, he was a 9 for me, but the man completely took his foot off the gas and never floored it again in the decade since he arrived."

[10.0] "It's a 10 for me. Completely underutilised in WWE but do not forget that he was New Japan Pro Wrestling's number 2 guy when he left the company. It's one of those wrestlers that I will always defend no matter what. A technical specimen with an amazing strong style."

[7.0] "I don't know what the wrong with him , when i first saw him i thought he would be one of the best in the company , especially with how good his entrance is , but his curve has been going down badly the last 5 years missed opportunity for him and for the company."

[8.0] "This is pissing me off now.Shinsuke has to be one of the most wasted wrestling talents ever. Writing this just after the 7th March 2025 Smackdown episode and finally an end to his US title run that was diabolical. Didnt see his indie work or much NXT so this is based on his main roster WWE. First of all, when he won Rumble 2018 he should've beat AJ Styles and if not then should've been earlier against Jindler or at Backlash 18' when they had a rematch. Fuck me, it pisses me off so much how this guy gets so wasted. How has not won a WWE World Championship? ! AND NOW THEY HAVE BURIED HIS SATANIC SAMURAI DEMON GIMMICK! WELL DONE WWE! At this point he should go to AEW or TNA and hopefully he don't get wasted there. Overall an amazing wrestler but wasted majorly so overall good but not great."

[10.0] "The King of Strong-Style name fits him perfectly. His NJPW run was absolutely legendary, making the Intercontinental Championship so damn prestigious with his matches. Matches against AJ Styles, Okada, Tanahashi, Kota Ibushi etc. were all instant classics. His NXT run was also so damn hype debuting in another classic with Sami Zayn. He won the NXT title twice and got called up. After MITB, man he was fed to dogshit with the Jinder feuds. He won the Royal Rumble and gained back 100% of his momentum. He then LOST against AJ at WrestleMania 34. He never recovered from this. Lackluster midcard title reigns and barely a sniff in the main event. He lost multiple feuds and got a little hope back with his awesome heel gimmick like he was a Yakuza boss. He then lost to Rollins twice for the World Title. He was written off until he became even more demented. Fans got hope and he BEAT LA KNIGHT FOR THE US TITLE! With now people forgetting he's even champion. A legendary career for over a decade with amazing matches and charisma. He has barely survived the main roster, however. TRIPLE H BOOK OUR CHAMPION PLEASE!"

[5.0] "Don't even suggest me watch his japanese performance Shinsuke had many years ago. Everything Nakamura's shown in the ring since he debuted in WWE is average. All his championship ownerships were nonsense, yet he's been considered to win more, even World Title. It would be an uphill battle to note down at least one good plot including him. On top of that, he did absolutely nothing for WWE to make it better. I dare say the only good about Shinsuke is his music themes and always wondered how such a bland overhyped character got banger songs."

[6.0] "I'm not familiar with what Shinsuke has done outside of WWE, but from what I've seen in these years I can't connect with him, I feel like he lacks more confidence in himself, I see him a bit complicated in the ring and promos, although the aura he gives off when he enters is incredible, unfortunately his reigns have been very bad and the one he's having now leaves a lot to be desired, I still remember his beginnings in NXT where he gave everything in the ring but now he doesn't feel the same"

[6.0] "I guess I am sad that I missed out on his greatest work, but all I have seen of him in WWE has been ok. I see flashes of brilliance but he is so seldom there that it just feels absolutely random whenever he comes up to torture some babyface and this disappear again. It's like he is an actual random encounter. He was the one to take the belt off of LA Knight and so far has really done nothing but effectively sandbag the belt as an entity."

[9.0] "Such a great, great performer: it's a shame he's never been a world champion on the main roster he deserved it for years. His work in NJPW speaks for itself. He is a legend."

[8.0] "There was a time when Shinsuke Nakamura was the best wrestler on the planet but that time is long gone. Ever since going to WWE he just dosent seem motivated to try anymore. Goes through the motions and collects a check."

[9.0] "I absolutely LOVE Shinsuke Nakamura. I think it's criminal that he's never won a world title. This current evil samurai character is really cool. Moveset is awesome and so are his promos when he gets to do them in Japanese. Also a legit badass that could of signed with UFC way back in 2005 but chose to pursue professional wrestling instead."

[9.0] "While sadly WWE hasn't treated him well, to those who knew him before he debuted on the brand's main roster, know the man is an eminence of wrestling. NXT showed bits of it, but once you see Shinsuke's work back in his Japan days, you'll see his brilliance and charisma in full display."

"Shinsuke transcends so many superstars on the WWE roster. His style is a refreshing blend compared to the usual style seen on Raw or Smackdown. I have never seen him perform a match and not elevate the match due to his abilities. His promo ability is also super underrated. All around, a very talented performer who could be handled better it utilized to the best of his abilities. His run in 2023 as one of the best heels on Raw deserves a renaissance on Smackdown. Fans love him, all the higher ups need to do is pull the trigger."

[6.0] "Not familiar with Shinsuke's work outside the WWE, but it's been years now and I'm just not that impressed with what iv'e seen. He's not bad in the ring but I personally dont find his style or gimmick that interesting. I find him to be average at best and a solid mid-carder."

[9.0] "Nakamura is the reason why people joke about certain wrestlers retiring when they get signed to WWE. Nakamura went from being the undisputed aura king and one of the best on the planet to being a guy who to the casual audience can best be summed up with the phrase "I don't get the hype." Which you see again and again from people unfamiliar with who he was prior. It really is a shame because he wasn't bad in NXT. Watered down for sure, but he had something there. It was as soon as he hit the main roster and started being micromanaged and put in shitty little 5 minute TV matches with Miz and Jinder that it seemed like his spirit just died. Nowhere in wrestling can this be seen more than when comparing AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura at Wrestle Kingdom to AJ Styles vs. Shinsuke Nakamura at Wrestlemania. I'm giving him a 9 cause I've been revisiting his NJPW stuff and he truly deserves that number. If I was looking at just his NXT run I'd say he would be a 7. Main roster run would unfortunately just be a 5. Damn shame."

[10.0] "I personally cant let his run atm downplay how amazing the rest of his career was. From being the youngest iwgp heavyweight champion ever at only 23 years old, to putting on incredible matches, to his NXT run that I thought was great. Some crazy booking decisions have downplayed his career but hes still a 1/100 talent."

[8.0] "Nakamura was the most promising signing WWE could have gotten at one point in time. He had a ridiculous amount of star power, with talent to back it up. Unfortunately, WWE have completely dropped the ball with him and he hasn't had the opportunity to display what makes him so special."

[8.0] "Shinsuke Nakamura is an artist in the ring, in terms of his understanding of wrestling, his intelligence in the ring, his athletic techniques and his movepool. He's a unique character who, unfortunately, due to poor, unflattering writing and a universe perhaps too far apart, hasn't had the opportunity to really shine in the WWE."

[10.0] "Based on his in-ring skills, charisma, and resume, Shinsuke Nakamura is one of the best in the world. When he wrestled in Japan, he was one of the biggest stars ever. He uses his MMA background in his wrestling. He was the youngest IWGP champion. Made the intercontinental champion prestigious winning it multiple times. Nakamura oozes with charisma cause he is the king of strong style. Too bad WWE booking was terrible when he joined the main roster."

[7.0] "Shinsuke Nakamura coulda been alot more then he was. Was he terrible no and his match with The Great Muta proved he still had it under the right circumstances. It just sucks wwe doesn't use him often or don't use him well at all such as his midcard Title runs"

[7.0] "Nakamura has really fell off. A few years ago he would have been a 9 or even 10, but today he lost all his aura and is now jobbing in WWE. He is not as charismatic as before and I have lost all of my hype toward. Im still putting a 7 because of his incredible work in NJPW and NXT."

[10.0] "During the drak days of Inokism of New Japan, Nakaumura was pushed as a "super rookie" wining the IWGP title in his first year with the company in 2003. This was due to the fact that Nakamura was a legit tough guy with an MMA background and with MMA surpassing pro wrestling in popularity in Japan during the 2000s, Inoki thought guys like Nakamura was the way to go. Inoki, the founder of NJPW was forced out of the company 3 years later. For a while Nakamura looked to have the reputation of a failed top guy pushed too young. However in the 2010s, Nakamura reinvented himself, a fan of singers like Freedie Mercury and Prince, Nakamura transformed his ring presentation to flashy showboater while keeping the MMA inspired moveset. Nakamura charisma carried him to being the most over wrestler in the promotion, unfortunately with Gedo's tendancy to stick to long term plans, we were locked into years of Tanahashi vs. Okada no matter what. However Nakamura was given the secondary IC title and Nakamura turned that belt into a drawing card, headlining many major events defending the IC. At first it was because it was Nakamura defending the belt but eventually the belt itself became a prize fit to headline events. At one point the IC title defense by Nakamura actually headlined over the IWGP title match at the biggest show the year Wrestle Kingdom. Since coming to WWE, Nakamura just hasn't hit those same levels of greatness. Whether it's because of WWE's booking or Nakamura's motivation, he is nowhere near operating at the level he was at during his last 3 years in NJPW. Basically it's his first match in WWE with Sami Zayn and then the rest of his WWE is mid."

[10.0] "His quickness, intensity and striking ability is nearly unmatched. Has some of the most violent looking strikes I've seen in pro wrestling. Plays an amazing heel. Puts on fantastic matches against wrestlers around or close to his level who compliment his style. His eccentric behavior just makes him more of a unique character. It's a shame he was let down by WWE but not very surprising either."

[7.0] "The King of Strong Style indeed, he has a great personality but there's just something about him I can't take to. I know he's good and i've enjoyed his amtches and he definitely get's a reaction with what he says/does but something just feels wrong to give him more than 7/10."

[6.0] "Yeah, I don't understand why people love him so much. He's average. His moves while innovative lack any intensity and look weaker each time I see them, his ring attire makes him look like a male stripper in a gay bar, and his odd facial expressions are off-putting. So many better Japanese wrestlers around and yet somehow Nakamura is more highly rated than 90% of them."

[6.0] "I didnt watch Shinsuke in NJPW but Ive watched him since he started in NXT. Aside from a few matches, I dont get the hype. Amazing that this guy is a former royal rumble winner. Maybe he was amazing in Japan and got lazier when he went to WWE. I dunno."

[7.0] "If this were 2016, he would be like a 8 or 9, but since 2017, the king of strong style has been booked just terribly. But it could have worked, I feel like he should have 100% should have won at Wrestlemania 34, but ever since that lost, he fell lower and lower down the card to the point of not getting booked. Overall his stuff in Japan was nothing short of spectacular, but it just sucked seeing a star getting ruined so fast and so easily."

[10.0] ""Shinsuke's a beast. Back in NJPW, he's a legend, tearing it up with classic matches. The guy's got the whole package: killer look, epic theme, and top-notch technical skills. But WWE? Feels like he should've done more. Still, that match with Sami Zayn? Pure gold, one of my all-time faves in WWE history.""

[10.0] "A man who exudes charisma from every pore. Of WWEs 2016 intake, he was possibly only outclassed in star power by AJ Styles, and his pedigree as the King of Strong Style in Japan truly is unshakeable, even after over half a decade of bad booking on WWEs main roster. It truly is a crime that McMahon will pay for (probably somewhere down the list, given the others) that Nakamura has not had a run with the big one yet, and at 44, I fear that he many never have that chance, but even so, he still manages to massively entertain any time he's in the ring."

[6.0] "Admittedly have not seen much of his New Japan but know that people rave about it. Definitely could up my rating once I see some of it. I dont know, definitely has personality and physical charisma, but with the language barrier its just difficult, as Im someone who likes to form a rating based both on working and mic skills, look, charisma, etc. Really liked his NXT work, his main roster WWE stuff just isnt for me I guess."

[8.0] "he has incredible character work no matter what and fully commits but when its bad its bad, when its bland, its fully bland. his wwe run has been 50/50 at times but you can always appreciate him"

[7.0] "Pre 2017, I would've gave him a higher rating but since then, he hasn't been the same he used to be due to his body being broken down because of his NJPW run. Still a fan of him but, he just isn't the same anymore sadly and that's why I gave him a 7 instead of it being higher"

[8.0] "In terms of WWE, no this would be a six. But because of his stuff in NJPW I have to give him an 8. Nakamura was a god in NJPW and to give him anything less than an 8 for that would be lazy. Great wrestler when he chooses to be but right now he is honing it in."

[10.0] "One of my favorite wrestlers. He was icon in New Japan. Shinsuke and Tanahashi ran NJPW when company was in hard times. And they saved NJPW. Shinsukes character and in-ring style was innovative and influenced a lot in the wrestling company. The match with Ibushi at WK was the match of the generation. After he moved to WWE, he became first Asian rumble winner and got a lot of championships. He was fan favorite when he was in NXT and his theme song made him fan favorite. His strong-style didnt work a lot in WWE but he still can make good matches when he faces superstars like Gunther, Seth, AJ, and Sami. And he still have charisma. I hope he become WWE World champion before he left WWE."

[6.0] "I'm not buying him as much as the rest of pro wrestling fans I guess. I know his resume, but his style doesn't click to me. Character from NJPW hasn't grown on me either and I don't like his work in the main roster. His NXT run was good and he thrived there, so why not rejuvenate the guy in NXT?"

[9.0] "Reinvented himself yet again, cutting promos in Japanese and being a dastardly evil heel. The Rollins and Rhodes feuds unfortunately just felt like filler for both of them until their Mania season feuds began but I really wish he'd beaten one of them at least once. He's getting on in age but he can still go, let him have a run at Gunther or Logan Paul's titles. Yes, he's a little more watered down in America and hasn't been able to express his charisma due to creative problems but he's still massively popular and clearly a good company man who will do whatever is needed."