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What’s the story?
Former WWE NXT Champion and Smackdown Live superstar Shinsuke Nakamura recently spoke with The New York Post in order to promote his WrestleMania 34 showdown against “The Phenomenal One” AJ Styles.
In case you didn’t know…
Earlier this year, WWE Smackdown Live Superstar and former New Japan Pro Wrestling star Shinsuke Nakamura earned the biggest victory of his WWE career so far when he won the 2018 Men’s Royal Rumble match by last eliminating former winner and World Champion Roman Reigns.
Nakamura, who is a former IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Champion, immediately went on to challenge WWE Champion AJ Styles to a one-on-one match at WrestleMania 34.
The heart of the matter
While interacting with The New York Post, “The Artist” Shinsuke Nakamura spoke about a host of topics and below are the highlights from the interview: (H/T: WrestlingInc)
On facing AJ Styles at WrestleMania 34:
Shinsuke Nakamura believes that his forthcoming clash against AJ Styles is definitely an amazing thing for WWE history, due to Nakamura and Styles’ previous crossover in a different company—which is New Japan Pro Wrestling.
In addition, Nakamura noted that he specifically doesn’t care about star ratings and instead wants to enjoy his bout against Styles at ‘The Grandest Stage of Them All’.
"Actually I don't care about the ratings, five stars, six stars, seven stars, whatever. But I really want to enjoy this match. I want to do everything I can do. I want to take everything he can do."
Fans connecting with him despite the language barrier:
According to Nakamura, he claims that a wrestler’s body language and in-ring fighting abilities usually speak for him and as far as Nakamura is concerned, he insists that his facial expressions, hand gestures, body language, and wrestling skills are what helps him the most in connecting with the fans.
"I think a wrestler can say something from fighting, from wrestling. I'm not like an English speaker so I have confidence in my wrestling skills, also like body language, hand gestures, facial expressions. I put all of my emotion in my wrestling. That's why maybe people can feel [a connection]."
A potential match against Daniel Bryan:
Nakamura stated that Daniel Bryan’s initial retirement came in as a huge shock for him, but now that “The American Dragon” is cleared to compete, he is Nakamura’s next big dream opponent in the WWE.
"So, I join the WWE and soon he needed to quit. That was a shock to me. Huge shock. Next dream match for me."
What’s next?
Nakamura and Styles will square-off at WrestleMania 34 next weekend in New Orleans for the WWE Championship, in a rematch from NJPW: Wrestle Kingdom 10.
Author’s Take
Nakamura and Styles, in my opinion, will definitely steal the show in New Orleans and a potential match between Nakamura and Bryan will also be one to watch out for in the future.
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