5 WWE Superstars who need to follow Apollo Crews and have a major character change

#3. Shinsuke Nakamura - Has he truly "signed off" from WWE?

Shinsuke Nakamura against Apollo Crews

Shinsuke Nakamura signed with WWE in 2016, and it's still believed that his debut match in NXT against Sami Zayn was his finest bout with the promotion.

It's hard to imagine that he has been with WWE for almost five years, especially since his run with the company was rumored to be his "retirement plan." Some fans have argued that Nakamura hasn't necessarily displayed the level of ability that he did in his New Japan Pro Wrestling tenure.

Either way, it's no secret that Nakamura is in the final phase of his wrestling career. Still, he seems to be a lot more motivated in 2021, as he has been putting on his best in-ring performances in recent memory.

King of strong #style #smackdown pic.twitter.com/OQlA2p3rtQ

— Shinsuke Nakamura (@ShinsukeN) February 20, 2021

While WWE still doesn't seem keen on pushing the 41-year-old, a fresh character could help Nakamura get one last run at the top. If 2021 can produce a motivated Shinsuke Nakamura, then fans shouldn't be surprised to see him receive a major gimmick change.

WHAT. A. MATCH.#SmackDown #GauntletMatch @ShinsukeN @WWEDanielBryan pic.twitter.com/HlQ0gO4hln

— WWE (@WWE) January 11, 2021

To be fair, Nakamura has been booked like a face in recent weeks, but his gimmick has largely remained the same. The former Royal Rumble winner could surely use a complete repackaging to reenter the main event scene.