Shinsuke Nakamura is a Japanese wrestler in WWE’s Raw brand. He got famous in New Japan Pro-Wrestling and became the youngest IWGP Heavyweight Champion at 23.
He won other big events like the G1 Climax and New Japan Cup. Nakamura is known for his unique character, a mix of randomness, emotion, and a love for violins.
He’s not just an act; he has a good record in mixed martial arts, with three wins and one loss.
In WWE’s NXT, he won the NXT Championship twice. Later, he won the WWE United States Championship twice and the Intercontinental Championship in 2019.
This made him one of only two wrestlers to hold both WWE and IWGP Intercontinental Championships.
He also held the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship with Cesaro. In 2021, he called himself King Nakamura after winning the King of the Ring crown.
In total, Nakamura has won world championships five times in professional wrestling.
Profile Summary
| Full Name | Shinsuke Nakamura |
| Age | 44 years old |
| Date of Birth | February 24, 1980 |
| Place of Birth | Mineyama, Kyoto |
| Occupation | Pro Wrestler & Martial Artist |
| Wife | Harumi Maekawa (m. 2007) |
| Children | N/A |
| Height | 6’2″ 188 cm 1.88 m |
| Weight | 104 kg 229 lbs |
| Socials | Instagram |
| Net Worth | $5 Million |
Shinsuke Nakamura Biography
Shinsuke Nakamura was born in Mineyama, Kyoto, Japan, on February 24, 1980. He looked up to Jushin Liger as his hero when he was young. When Nakamura was 22, he joined New Japan Pro Wrestling.
From the start of his wrestling journey, he quickly became one of the most promising talents in the world of pro wrestling, getting noticed by fans all over the world.
For the time being, information about his parents and siblings is yet to be shared with the public.
Shinsuke Nakamura Wrestling Career
Nakamura started wrestling in New Japan Pro-Wrestling in 2002 and quickly became famous as a “Super Rookie” because he was very strong and fast. He, along with his friends Hiroshi Tanahashi and Katsuyori Shibata, were called the “new Three Musketeers.”
Nakamura also tried mixed martial arts and won some fights. He became the youngest wrestler to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, but he had to give it up because of an injury.
In 2005, he won the IWGP U-30 Openweight Championship. During his career, he held the IWGP Tag Team Championship, but he lost it to Cho-Ten later on.
Nakamura tried to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship but lost to Brock Lesnar in 2006. He then went on a learning journey to improve his skills, including training in different countries and with Brock Lesnar.
There were talks about him going to WWE, but it didn’t happen. He returned to New Japan in 2006, joined a group led by Masahiro Chono, and aimed to reform the company. Nakamura had gained more muscle and learned a new finishing move called the Landslide.
However, he couldn’t win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in matches against Tanahashi and Toshiaki Kawada in 2006 and 2007. He got injured during the 2007 G1 Climax tournament and had to take time off.
When he returned, he took over leadership of the group and renamed it RISE. Nakamura won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship for the second time in 2008 but lost it to Keiji Mutoh in 2008. He also had a shot at the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in 2009 but didn’t win it.
WWE (2016 Till Date)
In January 2016, Shinsuke Nakamura left his old wrestling company (NJPW) and joined WWE. He began in WWE’s NXT and had his first match in April 2016, where he beat Sami Zayn.
In NXT, Nakamura had some big wins, even becoming the NXT Champion. But he lost it to Samoa Joe and later to Bobby Roode. This meant his time in NXT was over.
In April 2017, Nakamura moved up to WWE’s main show on SmackDown Live. He fought with other wrestlers like Dolph Ziggler, John Cena, and Jinder Mahal, hoping to become the WWE Champion. In 2018, he won the Royal Rumble match and got a title shot against AJ Styles at WrestleMania 34, but he didn’t win.
After WrestleMania, Nakamura turned into a “bad guy” and attacked AJ Styles. He kept fighting Styles but didn’t win the title at the Greatest Royal Rumble event.
In 2018, Nakamura became the United States Champion. He lost and won the title again. He had battles with wrestlers like Jeff Hardy, Rusev, and R-Truth.
In 2019, Nakamura formed a group with Sami Zayn and Cesaro called The Artist Collective. They had rivalries and tried to win championships, including the Intercontinental Championship.
Nakamura teamed up with Cesaro and won the SmackDown Tag Team Championship. However, they lost the title to The New Day in 2020.
In 2021, Nakamura turned into a “good guy” again and had fights with King Corbin. He also took part in the Money in the Bank match and won the Intercontinental Championship.
In 2022, Nakamura lost the Intercontinental title to Sami Zayn. He made only a few appearances and returned to SmackDown in April 2023.
After the 2023 WWE Draft, Nakamura moved to the Raw brand. He joined the Money in the Bank match but didn’t win. He also had a rivalry with Seth Rollins and tried to win the World Heavyweight Championship but didn’t succeed.
Shinsuke Nakamura Height & Weight Measurements
Shinsuke Nakamura is about 6 feet 2 inches tall, which is approximately 1.88 meters, and he weighs around 229 pounds, which is about 104 kilograms.
His body measurements include a chest size of about 44 inches, a waist size of roughly 34 inches, and biceps that are about 17 inches around.
Shinsuke Nakamura Career Achievements
While in NJPW, Nakamura became a top wrestler, winning big titles like the IWGP Heavyweight Championship three times, the IWGP Intercontinental Championship five times, and the IWGP Tag Team Championship once with Hiroshi Tanahashi.
He also held the IWGP U-30 Openweight Championship and the NWF Heavyweight Championship.
Nakamura had success in tournaments, winning the G1 Climax in 2011, the G1 Tag League in 2006 with Masahiro Chono, and the National District Tournament in 2006.
He also claimed victory in the New Japan Cup in 2014 and received awards for his tag team skills, like the Tag Team Best Bout Award in 2004.
Tokyo Sports honored Nakamura with the Best Bout Award in 2013 and 2014 for his memorable matches against Kota Ibushi and Kazuchika Okada.
After joining WWE, Nakamura continued to do well. He became NXT Champion twice, showing he’s great in the development brand.
Moving to the main roster, he won the WWE United States Championship twice and the WWE Intercontinental Championship twice. He also held the WWE SmackDown Tag Team Championship once with Cesaro.
In 2018, he won the Men’s Royal Rumble and got a title match at WrestleMania. Nakamura’s success was also noticed with the NXT Year-End Awards.
In 2016, he was named Male Competitor of the Year and Overall Competitor of the Year.
Personal Life
Apart from wrestling, Nakamura has also involved in Brazilian jiu-jitsu and practices Shito-ryu karate.
Regarding his marital status, Nakamura is married to Harumi Maekawa. They got married in September 2007 and currently live in Orlando, Florida.
As of now, details about their kids have not been made public.