Shinsuke Nakamura is a Japanese professional wrestler and retired mixed martial artist who made his professional debut on August 29, 2002. His well-respected name and indisputable reputation began to make its rounds in the world of wrestling after joining the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in March 2002, during which he had demonstrated an impressive combination of his strength, speed, and technical skill inside the boxing ring. At the time, his career was on the rise alongside fellow wrestlers and Katsuyori Shibata. His interest in professional wrestling was preceded by his interest in mixed martial arts. He made his MMA debut in a match against Daniel Gracie on December 2002 during which he was defeated via submission to an armlock. His defeat was followed by multiple wins from 2003 to 2005. Nakamura defeated Jan Norte via guillotine choke in May 2003, won another match against Shane Eitner, and acquired a historic title for defeating Horoyoshi Tenzan for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Amidst his reign in MMA fighting at the time, he was forced to vacate due to an injury. In March 2006, he formally announced his departure to further hone and improve his wrestling skills. His decision came after he challenged for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship but lost.
His time with NJPW ended in January 2016 following his interview with Tokyo Sports wherein he confirmed that he would be exiting from NJPW to sign with WWE. With WWE, he has performed on the SmackDown brand and has become the WWE Intercontinental Champion. Nakamura won the 2018 Men’s Royal Rumble and the United States Championship in January 2018. In the Extreme Rules 2019 match, he won the WWE Intercontinental Championship for the first time which placed him at the 2nd spot next to to hold both WWE and IWGP Intercontinental titles. His success was greatly influenced by his extensive training overseas during his time with the NJPW wherein he was able to gain the title as the three-time IGWP Heavyweight Champion. Before his debut with WWE, Nakamura was best known for his contributions and achievements in the NJPW.
Sun Sign
Pisces
Residence
Orlando, Florida, United States
Nationality
Education
He went to Aoyama Gakuin University in Shibuya, Tokyo, Japan, where he met his wife Harumi Maekawa. After graduation, he later attended the New Japan Pro Wrestling Dojo where he began pursuing his professional career as a wrestler.
Manager
Shinsuke Nakamura is represented by the World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) Company.
Boyfriend / Spouse
Shinsuke Nakamura has dated –
- Harumi Maekawa (2007-Present) – Shinsuke Nakamura has been married to Harumi Maekawa for 12 years. He met his wife while they were both attending Aoyama Gakuin University in Shibuya, Tokyo, one of the leading private schools in Japan. They decided to tie the knot in 2007. Some reports had claimed that the wedding consisted of a full banquet of food and colorful decorations with approximately 400 guests including their closest friends and family. In addition, reports further claimed that Nakamura had invited several popular professional wrestlers on his big day.
Sexual Orientation
Straight
Distinctive Features
- Hooded Eyes
- Button Type Nose
- Oval-shaped Face
- Tall Height
Best Known For
- His achievements and contributions with New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) before his WWE debut
- His highly reputable career as a professional wrestler and for gaining his title as the WWE Intercontinental Champion
- Holding both WWE and IWGP Intercontinental titles
First WWE Match
In April 2016, Shinsuke Nakamura made his debut with WWE in a match against and won. In the same month, it was followed with another victory after winning his first NXT televised match against Tye Dillinger.
First MMA Match
In December 2002, he made his MMA debut in a match against the Brazilian MMA fighter and wrestler, Daniel Gracie, during which he was defeated via submission to an armlock.
Personal Trainer
Back in his early years with NJPW, Shinsuke Nakamura would go out of his way for his training and preparation before his next ring-match. He would go overseas just to train and there was even a time that he had traveled to Mexico, Brazil, and Russia to train with Brock Lesnar at Lesnar’s gym for muscle-building. Since his debut, he had trained with 3 of Japan’s best professional wrestling and MMA trainers, Inoki Dojo, Kotetsu Yamamoto, and Osamu Kido.
As for his workout parameters and healthy diet routines when preparing for his WWE matches, he usually follows an energy-draining workout pattern to prepare himself for fights and keep his physique well-shaped and ready for the match. He also trains in Brazilian Jiujitsu, karate, boxing, judo, and kickboxing. With that, it needs him to hit the gym at least 4 times a week and perform running, sparring, and weightlifting. For his on-the-go type of workout, he has squats, bench presses, and deadlifts.
Talking about his diet and how he maintains the balance between his training and eating the right food, Nakamura follows a traditional Japanese diet plan which comprises fish, vegetables, and fermented foods like tofu and natto. In a report published by on May 27, 2019, he specifically sighted his reason on why he prefers using “fermented foods” as part of his diet plan, adding that it helps boost his metabolism.
Shinsuke Nakamura Favorite Things
- Hobbies – Surfing
Source –
Shinsuke Nakamura Facts
- He is an ultimate surfing enthusiast.
- He was featured in the Japanese music video of ‘s Happy.
- In 2018, Shinsuke Nakamura won the Royal Rumble.
- He published an autobiography titled King of Strong Style: 1980–2014 on May 27, 2014.
- As of July 2019, he has won 3 IWGP Heavyweight Championships, 5 IWGP Intercontinental Championships, and 1 IWGP Tag Team Championship.
- At the age of 23 and 9 months, Nakamura was dubbed as the youngest IWGP Heavyweight Champion titleholder in history.
- He got his nickname “King of Strong Style” due to his ring-match fighting style wherein he appears to be genuinely injuring his opponents with his strikes.
- He was dubbed as “Super Rookie” during his early years because he tends to combine his athleticism and technical skill in his wrestling matches.
- Wrestling fans and enthusiasts used to often compare the younger version of Shinsuke Nakamura to famous WWE fighter, .
- Connect with Shinsuke Nakamura on , , and .
Featured Image by Courtney Rose / / CC BY-SA 2.0
Facts of Shinsuke Nakamura
- Gender Male
- full nameShinsuke Nakamura
- nicknamesThe Artist, The Rockstar, The King of Strong Style, Super Rookie
- birthplaceMineyama, Kyoto, Japan
- Date of Birth February 24, 1980
- Age 44 years 7 months
- Horoscope Pisces
- Lucky Number 8
- Lucky Stone Aquamarine
- Lucky Color Sea Green
- Best Match for Marriage Cancer, Scorpio
- ethnicity / ethnic backgroundJapanese
- nationalityJapanese
- net worth$3.5 million
- professionProfessional Wrestler, Retired Mixed Martial Artist
- weight104 kg or 229 lbs
- height6 ft 2 in or 188 cm
- hair colorBlack
- eye colorDark Brown
- body type / buildAthletic
- collegeAoyama Gakuin University