Abstract
Nakamura is not retiring quickly – estimates perhaps 5 extra years, however doubts wrestling a decade from now.
His foremost purpose: win the WWE World Heavyweight Title to open a path for future Japanese and Asian stars.
Returned Oct 10 to SmackDown after a June-Oct artistic hole; wrestled in Tokyo on Oct 17-18.
With loads of retirement discuss, John Cena retiring in December, AJ Types in 2026, and so forth., WWE Celebrity Shinsuke Nakamura has opened up his personal plans in a current interview with Tokyo Sports activities.
Shinsuke Nakamura Reveals His Future Plans
Nakamura revealed that he’s not “retiring anytime quickly.” It appears like 5 years is his max with the game. He stated:
“Fortunately, I don’t have many accidents, so it’s not like I’m retiring anytime quickly. However nothing lasts perpetually. In case you advised me I’d nonetheless be wrestling in ten years, I’d need to query that. 5 years? Possibly. Nobody is aware of what tomorrow brings, so I simply need to do what I can now. That’s what retains me going—the assumption that I can nonetheless do it. (h/t: WrestlePurists)
Nakamura simply made his return to the ring on the October 10 episode of WWE SmackDown. When then-United States Champion Sami Zayn was doing his weekly open challenges, Nakamura got here out, stunning the Perth, Australia crowd. Sadly, the title match was ruined by a returning Tama Tonga, who attacked each Nakamura and Zayn. Earlier than his October 10 return, the final time followers noticed Nakamura on SmackDown was on the June 13, 2025, episode, the place he misplaced within the first spherical of the King of the Ring 2025. The rationale behind his absence from June to October was that WWE had no artistic plans for him.
What Else Retains Him Going?
Nakamura isn’t able to return as a result of he desires that WWE World Heavyweight Championship and to be a trailblazer for Japanese wrestlers. There is no such thing as a cause why the previous NJPW star hasn’t been the champ but. He’s been with WWE since 2016. Titles that he has held are the U.S. Title, NXT Championship, Intercontinental Title, and the SmackDown Tag Group Titles. He stated:
“For me, it’s the World Heavyweight Championship. That’s what I’m after. When you consider the issues Japanese wrestlers, particularly males, haven’t but damaged by way of on in America, that’s it. I don’t know if it’ll function proof of something, however generally I’m wondering—if I can’t do it, what occurs then? I simply need to depart behind a path, a way of hope, for the following era of Japanese and Asian wrestlers.”
This previous weekend, Nakamura made his return to Japan. Final Saturday, October 18, at WWE’s SuperShow in Tokyo, he and CM Punk defeated Bronson Reed and Bron Breakker. The evening earlier than, Friday, October 17, he was additionally in motion in Tokyo, and there he teamed with Jey Uso to defeat Reed and Breakker. Anyway, it’s time for Nakamura to get into the title image, particularly earlier than he decides to hold up his boots.
