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There was a time when WWE was an island – performers would magically appear out of nowhere when they were signed, would disappear just as magically when they were no longer needed, and had no lives outside of the business, save appearances on shows like Total Divas, or Total Bellas. Effectively serving as action figures in Vince McMahon's toy chest, experiences outside of the company were kept vague, if they were mentioned at all, and fans who weren't smart on the business were none the wiser.
So naturally, when Shinsuke Nakamura was asked about taking part in one of The Great Muta/Keiji Muto's final matches in Pro Wrestling Noah, the man formerly known as “The King of Strong Style,” wasn't particularly optimistic about the prospects of accepting the spot, as he never thought the man in charge at the time, Mr. McMahon, would okay it.
Fortunately, as Nakamura explained in an interview with Yahoo Sports, that all changed when Paul “Triple H” Levesque was given creative control of the company, and now, he's set to make his return to Japan for a match with one of his childhood idols on New Year's Day at Budokan Hall.
“I was like, “No way. I couldn't believe it. I didn't think it would happen,” Nakamura said via Fightful. “It was something that would never have happened under the previous structure of the WWE. Noah came to me with the idea, and we discussed it, but my answer was no. Vince (McMahon, Chairman and CEO of WWE) stepped down in the summer, and I was advised by people within the company that it might be possible now. I still thought it would be difficult, but I even talked directly to Triple H (WWE's vice president). When the decision was actually made, I was shaken.”
“There was a big change in the WWE between when Mutoh announced his retirement and when the match was decided. Vince, who was the symbol of everything, was retiring, and that was something that no one could believe. Everything changes in America when the top changes. At that time, there was a feeling that many things would change in the future. One of the changes that occurred to me was this. The fact that ‘no' became ‘yes' gave me a boost.”
With Nakamura heading to Noah and “Machine Gun” Karl Anderson, making his return to New Japan Pro Wrestling to defend his NEVER Openweight Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 17, 2023 is already shaping up to be one of the most exciting years in WWE history, with even more potential opportunities still in store that haven't even been conceived yet.
WWE's Shinsuke Nakamura is honored to be considered by The Great Muta.
Speaking with Pro Wrestling Noah about being invited to work the match with one of his childhood idols, Nakamura was surprised Muta asked him to take part in the contest, but was incredibly excited to accept the offer.
“Surprise. We had no direct relationship,” Nakamura said via Fightful. “We had fought twice and I lost both times. As the pro wrestler Shinsuke Nakamura, there is no way I'm having a positive impression towards him, but when I heard I was chosen as one of his last opponents, I felt honored that he had remembered me somewhere inside him. Remembering the young days when I was a fan of him, it's amazing. I wish I could tell ‘you're amazing' to me as a kid. Ever since I became a pro wrestler, he's a wrestler to look up to, but at the same time, a rival. That's how I've been taught ever since. Great Muta, (Masahiro) Chono, the young day's idols were rivals to me. They were my enemy, especially since I lost twice to Muto. I was young, and since I was young, I was beaten up completely. I'm thinking that was going to be the last chance to meet him.”
After watching wrestling legends from around the world either pass away or retire over the course of 2022, Nakamura is excited to take part in one of Muta's final matches, as having even a small part in his legacy would be a dream come true for the Japanese professional wrestling legend.
“It's really an impossible situation to occur,” Nakamura said. “Everything is special. You know, this year, many people had passed away or retired. In the midst of changing times this match miraculously took place versus Great Muta. It is a special match in every way. Of course, I take it special, it's Great Muta that I'm having a match with. It might not be the last match of his career, but it's a great pleasure that he chose me as one of his last opponents. ‘Special' is not enough for this match, but it is a miracle in the division of the generation.”
Though Nakamura has turned down leaving WWE on multiple occasions, with his most recent extension coming in 2019 when AEW was actively looking to fill out their roster with big-name talents, it's nice to see “The King of Strong Style” return to his roots, (hopefully) return to the style that made him a stay, and return to Japan for a huge match at Budokan.
