Shinsuke Nakamura Makes WWE Main Roster Debut on SmackDown
Shinsuke Nakamura debuted Tuesday night on WWE's main roster during SmackDown Live.
Nakamura interrupted a segment involving The Miz and Maryse and left the ring without saying a word. Granted, the two-time NXT champion didn't need to say anything to make an impact.
The company showed Nakamura standing in the WWE ring for the first time in his career:
After a lengthy career in Japan during which he became one of the most popular Japanese professional wrestlers of all time, Nakamura made the leap to WWE in early 2016 and competed in his first official match against Sami Zayn at NXT TakeOver: Dallas during WrestleMania 32 weekend.
Nakamura and Zayn put on a contender for Match of the Year, which set the tone for his successful run in WWE's developmental show.
The King of Strong Style quickly rose up the ranks and became NXT champion when he defeated Samoa Joe for the title at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn II on Aug. 20.
In less than five months, Nakamura had become the face of the hottest brand in wrestling.
The NXT faithful embraced Nakamura due to his catchy theme music, charisma and remarkable in-ring acumen, but he drew the ire of Joe and engaged in a long, bitter feud with The Samoan Submission Machine.
That rivalry led to Nakamura's shocking first loss in NXT at NXT TakeOver: Toronto on Nov. 19. Most assumed Nakamura would retain the title, but by virtue of a low blow, the use of the steel steps and a Muscle Buster, Joe pinned Nakamura to become the first two-time NXT champion.
Following Nakamura's defeat, talk of a potential call-up to the main roster naturally circulated, as NXT's champions tend to drop their titles just before making the leap.
His time without the title didn't last long, however, as he won the championship back from Joe at a live event in Osaka, Japan, and successfully defended it against him in a steel cage match at a live event in Australia.
Nakamura then dropped the title to Bobby Roode at NXT TakeOver: San Antonio, which led to speculation that a main roster call-up was potentially in the cards.
After his sustained run at the top in NXT, Nakamura has all the tools needed to break the glass ceiling that previous Japan-born Superstars never managed to get through in WWE.
While the 37-year-old Nakamura isn't overly old in wrestling terms, he has competed since 2002 and has plenty of mileage on his body, which means WWE likely feels a sense of urgency to see what he can do on the main roster.
Japanese wrestlers generally haven't enjoyed a great deal of success in WWE, but Nakamura is different in that he already has worldwide acclaim. Additionally, him winning the NXT Championship suggests people within the company already believe in him as a potential top draw.
There are no guarantees Nakamura will be used properly and receive the opportunity to be the first Japanese WWE world champion, but there is little doubt he is the best candidate yet to earn that honor.
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