WWE Superstar Shinsuke Nakamura goes by many different names. He’s been known as “The Rockstar,” “The King of Strong Style,” “The Artist,” and now Nakamura can be called the winner of the 2018 men’s Royal Rumble match. This 37-year-old superstar from Japan is on his way to pro wrestling immortality as he is scheduled to battle “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles for the WWE Championship at WrestleMania 34.
Nakamura has been wrestling over 15 years. He earned the nickname of “Super Rookie” while wrestling for New Japan Pro Wrestling. A little over a year after his debut, the young wrestler rose to the very top of the brand, capturing the IWGP Heavyweight Championship and, in the process, becoming the youngest world champion in that company’s history. Throughout his career with NJPW, he was able to capture their top championship three times.
By the time Shinsuke arrived in the WWE, he was already considered a wrestling icon to many in Japan and on the internet. In 2016, Nakamura electrified WWE’s NXT brand, quickly capturing the NXT Championship (on two occasions) before moving up to the SmackDown brand in April 2017.
Now, Nakamura has a ticket to the main event of WrestleMania. But how much money does he have in the bank? Let’s take a look and see…
Shinsuke Nakamura Net Worth as of 2018: $3.6 Million
Shinsuke Nakamura has an estimated net worth of $3.6 million. That’s a lot of scratch for The King of Strong Style! But that’s nothing compared with the future fortunes that lay ahead of him on the road to WrestleMania. Nakamura may very well be the future WWE Champion. But before he hits the pro wrestling jackpot, let’s take a gander at this star’s rise to great success…
2002 – 2016
Shinsuke Nakamura made his official professional wrestling debut on August 29, 2002, for the Japanese promotion New Japan Pro Wrestling. In the very early stages of his career, Nakamura had already wowed NJPW officials with his amazing strength, speed, and technical skill. By December 2003, Nakamura was already booked as the top guy of the brand, knocking off Hiroyoshi Tenzan for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship at just 23 years old (and nine months). To this day, he is still the youngest world champion in NJPW history.
During his time with New Japan Pro Wrestling, Nakamura racked up numerous championships, including five IWGP Intercontinental Championship reigns, one IWGP Tag Team Championship reigns, and three reigns with the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. “The King of Strong Style” is also the winner of the 2011 G1 Climax, the 2006 G1 Tag League, and the 2014 New Japan Cup tournaments.
Nakamura spent 14 years wrestling for New Japan. During that time, he had classic encounters with the likes of Yoshihiro Takayama, Manabu Nakanishi, “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles, and even “The Beast Incarnate” Brock Lesnar.
2016 – 2018
“The King of Strong Style” had accomplished everything possible in New Japan Pro Wrestling. Therefore, he needed a greater challenge and looked to the west at WWE for a worldwide platform to showcase his talents. In early 2016, Nakamura left NJPW for NXT, WWE’s developmental brand. He quickly rose through the ranks, and by the summer of that year, he was already NXT Champion.
Nakamura became a 2-time NXT Champion, this time in his home country of Japan, after defeating a fierce rival in the form of “The Destroyer” Samoa Joe.
After a highly-successful stint on NXT, “The King of Strong Style” set his sights on SmackDown, making his debut two nights after WrestleMania 33. By SummerSlam 2017, he was already battling WWE Champion Jinder Mahal for the top prize in the industry. Although, Nakamura wasn’t able to knock off Mahal for the WWE Championship, he still had a very impressive year, which includes a pinfall victory over 16-time world champion John Cena.
2018 – Present
So far, Shinsuke Nakamura has had an amazing start to 2018. He won the 2018 men’s Royal Rumble match, and now he’s set to face off against “The Phenomenal” AJ Styles for the WWE Championship in one of the main events at WrestleMania 34.
Nakamura has faced off against Styles in the past. They last battled at Wrestle Kingdom 10 in Tokyo, Japan, on January 4, 2016. On that night, Nakamura was able to defeat Styles. Can he repeat history this April in New Orleans at WrestleMania 34?
