Former WWE star says Shinsuke Nakamura called him a "genius" (Exclusive)

Shinsuke Nakamura has featured prominently on WWE television ever since joining the company in 2016. In an exclusive interview, AJ Francis recalled how the 2018 Royal Rumble winner once gave him a compliment about his lyrics.

Francis, formerly known as Top Dolla, worked for WWE between 2020 and 2023. The 33-year-old used freestyle raps to cut promos on his rivals. He has also released his own music outside of the wrestling business in recent years.

Speaking to Sportskeeda Wrestling's Riju Dasgupta, Francis told a story about Shinsuke Nakamura praising his rapping during a WWE tour:

"Me and Shinsuke and Tehuti, Ashante Thee Adonis, we were drinking on a European tour in a bar, and Shinsuke comes up to me and he says, 'What you do with words, you're a genius,' and I said, 'Thank you, man, but that's how I feel about your wrestling.'" [1:29 – 1:55]

Watch the video above to hear Francis reveal how 16-time world champion John Cena reacted to his freestyle rapping.

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AJ Francis appreciated Shinsuke Nakamura's compliment

As the former Hit Row member referenced, Shinsuke Nakamura is widely viewed as one of the most gifted wrestlers of his generation.

Francis added that he could not hide his excitement after receiving such a big compliment from the Japanese star:

"Hearing things like that, and I turned to Ashante, Ashante's like, 'Did he just say that you're a lyrical genius?' I was like, 'Yeah, he did.' He's like, 'You're pretty happy right now, aren't you?' I was like, 'You can't even tell me nothing no more!'" [2:01 – 2:19]

In the same interview, Francis sent a message to people who continue to criticize him for his infamous botched dive on SmackDown.

Did you prefer AJ Francis as a babyface or heel in WWE? Let us know in the comments section.

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