Shinsuke Nakamura was the biggest professional wrestling star in Japan when he finally made his way to the WWE. However, as someone who had never worked the American wrestling system before, he needed seasoning to learn the ropes and got it in NXT. However, Nakamura is ready to move on and said in an interview with the Orlando Sentinel that he really wants to wrestle at "Wrestlemania" to move to the next level.
Shinsuke Nakamura in NXT
Shinsuke Nakamura made his debut in the WWE by wrestling Sami Zayn at "NXT TakeOver: Dallas" in a match that some called the Match of the Year for NXT.
Shinsuke won that match and the moved on to beat Tye Dillinger, Austin Aries, and Finn Balor before challenging then-champion Finn Balor for the NXT Championship. Nakamura won the title from Samoa Joe at "NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn II." He lost the title back to Joe and then won it back again before Joe finally moved on to the main WWE roster. In January at "NXT TakeOver: San Antonio," Nakamura lost the NXT title to Bobby Roode. He held the title for a total of 147 days and has a rematch coming against Roode at the "NXT TakeOver" event before "WrestleMania 33."
Shinsuke Nakamura's main roster opportunities
Before he came to the WWE, Shinsuke Nakamura was a huge star in New Japan Professional Wrestling, the same promotion that AJ Styles was in before he came to the WWE.
Because of Styles experience in TNA Impact Wrestling and Ring of Honor, he made an immediate debut on the main WWE roster. However, in New Japan, Shinsuke held the same title Styles held on three different occasions for a total of 390 days. He has a lot of experience and many New Japan shows are in front of bigger crowds than those of the WWE.
However, the WWE wanted to make sure that Nakamura was ready to wrestle a television style and that is what he worked towards in NXT. He still barely speaks and is not fluent in English, which might hurt on the main roster, but he has charisma to spare and should get over well when given the chance. There is little chance he debuts at "WrestleMania" this year, but Shinsuke Nakamura believes he is ready.