As previously reported, there have been recent questions regarding the status of Shinsuke Nakamura in WWE. The former WWE United States and Intercontinental Champion raised some eyebrows when he mentioned that his retirement might not be far off.
A report from Fightful Select last month indicated that Nakamura’s name was mentioned in NJPW as a potential final opponent for Hiroshi Tanahashi at NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 20, scheduled for January 2026. However, this was considered more of a "pipe dream," as it is unclear if Nakamura would be available to NJPW while under contract with WWE.
Sean Ross Sapp discussed Nakamura’s current situation with WWE on the latest edition of Fightful Select Answers after a fan inquired about rumors earlier this year regarding Nakamura potentially leaving the company. According to Sapp, he has been investigating the leads on that rumor throughout the year, including up until last week.
Sapp also mentioned that there have been hints about Nakamura's status for the past 10 to 11 months, and NJPW still believes that Nakamura re-signed with WWE last year. However, Nakamura's WWE contract status and the supposed re-signing have not been confirmed.
Recently, Nakamura competed on the October 24 edition of Friday Night SmackDown, teaming with Rey Fenix in a losing effort against MFT. Nakamura had made his return to WWE television earlier in October as a babyface, using his old entrance music while answering 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 on when Nakamura might wind down his illustrious career, but he remains part of the WWE roster for the time being.
