Shinsuke Nakamura Would Be the Best Possible WWE Signing for 2016

In the wake of New Japan Pro Wrestling's Wrestle Kingdom 10 event on Monday, a surprising rumour began to circulate: WWE had apparently carried out the biggest talent raid of a rival company in the past 15 years.

Much has been made of the potential for Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson to reform a version of the Bullet Club with old friend Finn Balor. Similarly, there's a great deal of excitement for the possibility of AJ Styles finally getting a run in WWE.

However, the biggest prize on the table is undoubtedly the services of Shinsuke Nakamura.

Nakamura was among the "Three Musketeers" who rose through the ranks of New Japan Pro Wrestling in the early 2000s. He was clearly a standout talent from the off—but, as it would turn out, his rival Hiroshi Tanahashi would be the member of the trio who would become the face of the company.

Since then, Nakamura has had a remarkable career, winning the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship three times, prevailing in the G1 Climax and New Japan Cup tournaments, and putting the promotion's nascent Intercontinental Championship on the map.

Nakamura is one of the best wrestlers anywhere in the world in terms of in-ring acumen. However, he's not just a technical standout—his eccentric mannerisms make him one of the more colourful characters on the New Japan roster.

Indeed, his vocal female fanbase can be heard supporting the King of Strong Style at any show he wrestles on. He's a true mainstream attraction in Japan, even making an appearance in the official music video for Pharrell Williams' hit song "Happy" when it was released in the country.

Crucially, this appeal doesn't rely on promo ability that would be sacrificed working in an English-speaking company. His look and the way he moves around the ring are evocative enough to make him stand out from the crowd even if he never chose to speak a word in WWE.

Of course, it's easy to imagine a scenario where Nakamura would be given a mouthpiece to allow him to engage in feuds more easily. Pairing him with Paul Heyman is an obvious option, and one that would likely please a lot of fans.

Nakamura has reportedly confirmed that he's bound for WWE, according to reports from Japanese publication Tokyo Sports (via Mat Men Podcast on Twitter). If the move does indeed come to pass, it's just about the best talent acquisition WWE could hope to make in the current landscape.

The King of Strong Style opens up possible dream matches with several notable wrestlers on the WWE roster—Seth Rollins, Finn Balor and Daniel Bryan being a few top candidates.

It also robs New Japan of one of the biggest programs the company had up its sleeve: the often-teased showdown between Nakamura and his CHAOS stablemate Kazuchika Okada.

Nakamura is a talented enough wrestler to make hardcore fans stand up and take notice. However, his larger-than-life person will likely endear him to casual audiences also. He's a double-edged sword—and this is to ignore the fact that he's a huge draw as WWE steps up its Network presence in Japan.

Executed correctly, Nakamura's transition from Japan to America could mean big things for WWE. The world of wrestling has been growing broader for years now, and it's good to see the dominant force in North America finally take notice of that fact.

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Styles & Nakamura showing respect to each other after the match. #NJPW #NJWK10 pic.twitter.com/k6DdcjQ2G6

— クリッシー// Chrissy (@rainmakerposu) January 4, 2016"

Moving forward, it's going to be increasingly important for WWE to target international audiences. The company's eagerness to present stars like Alberto Del Rio and Kalisto as important attractions demonstrates that its taking its South American interests very seriously.

Nakamura, being one of the Japanese pro wrestling elite, would be a major acquisition in terms of international growth. If the King of Strong Style is only wrestling for WWE, you can bet that plenty more Japanese fans will religiously tune in to an American broadcast.

If the signing does indeed come to pass, the only question is whether WWE can stick the landing. Nakamura has the potential to be a game-changing talent for the company—but introducing this outsider at the appropriate level of competition is a task that requires precision.