5 Intercontinental and US Title-holders who aren't Grand Slam Champions yet

#4 Shinsuke Nakamura

Shinsuke Nakamura arrived in NXT with an unprecedented buzz. He was genuinely one of the most exciting talents to set foot in a WWE ring, lighting up Dallas with a sensational debut match against Sami Zayn. After a good year in Full Sail, Nakamura made his way to SmackDown with all the potential in the world. However, the King of Strong Style has fallen slightly short so far. After a gripping Royal Rumble victory, Nakamura's hotly-anticipated dream match, and subsequent rivalry, with AJ Styles turned out to be a disappointment based on the lofty expectations it carried.

Since then, the former NXT Champion has been coasting in the mid-card of the Blue Brand. He won the United States Championship from Jeff Hardy at Extreme Rules 2018, before winning the Intercontinental Championship on the Kickoff Show of the same pay-per-view one year later. Nakamura still has the belt, making him the top full-time male champion on FOX. Even after failing to deliver on the massive hype, the Japanese superstar's main roster career has been a decent one. It is unlikely that Nakamura will ever win the WWE Championship, but he can make the IC Title scene his own in the coming months.

About the author

Divesh Merani is a dedicated sports writer and specialises in creating WWE content. He has been contributing on Sportskeeda since 2018, after years of developing a passion for football and pro wrestling.

Divesh has also represented Sportskeeda at multiple WWE-related events in India, including when Charlotte Flair and Rhea Ripley visited the country. In 2022, he became an Assistant Content Manager at Sportskeeda but continues to regularly write news and listicles that cover the past, present, and future of WWE's product.

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Edited by Sai Teja