PWMania.com previously reported that there have been recent questions regarding Shinsuke Nakamura’s status with WWE.
The former WWE United States and Intercontinental Champion raised eyebrows when he suggested that his retirement might not be too far off.
A report from Fightful Select indicated last month that Nakamura’s name has been mentioned in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) as a potential final opponent for Hiroshi Tanahashi at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 20 in January 2026. However, this was more of a “pipe dream” rather than a confirmed possibility, as it remains unclear whether Nakamura would be available to NJPW outside of his WWE commitments.
Sean Ross Sapp discussed Nakamura’s current WWE status on the latest edition of Fightful Select Answers after a fan inquired about the earlier report suggesting that Nakamura might be leaving the company.
Sapp has been investigating the rumors throughout the year, including up until last week.
He mentioned that there have been hints regarding Nakamura’s situation over the past 10 to 11 months. NJPW still believes that Nakamura re-signed with WWE last year, but his contract status and any indication of re-signing have yet to be confirmed.
Nakamura recently appeared on the October 24 edition of Friday Night SmackDown, where he teamed up with Rey Fenix in a losing effort against MFT.
He returned to WWE television earlier in October as a babyface, using his old entrance music and responding to Sami Zayn’s WWE United States Title Open Challenge. The match ended in a No Contest due to interference from MFT.
As of now, there is no information about when Nakamura will wind down his illustrious career, but he remains an active member of the WWE roster.
