WWE Announces Return Date For Shinsuke Nakamura

Shinsuke Nakamura hasn't appeared on WWE programming since the November 11 episode of "SmackDown," when he lost to Santos Escobar in the first round of the "SmackDown" World Cup tournament. But on Friday night's episode of "SmackDown," we learned that he'll be returning to WWE television next week. However, we do not know yet whether or not he'll be competing when that night arrives. Interestingly, not only has he not appeared on television since November, Nakamura hasn't even worked a live event since January 22, when he teamed with Braun Strowman and Madcap Moss to defeat Imperium.

Nakamura made his WWE debut as part of "NXT" back in January 2016, and went on to become a two-time "NXT" Champion before making his main roster debut just over a year later. While he's won his share of championship gold during his seven-plus years with the company, including the WWE Intercontinental Championship and United States Championship (twice) as well as the "SmackDown" Tag Team Championship alongside Cesaro (AEW's Claudio Castagnoli), Nakamura has never won the company's biggest prize. After winning the men's Royal Rumble match in 2018, Nakamura went on to lose to then-WWE Champion A.J. Styles at WrestleMania 34.

In fact, arguably his biggest match over the past few years didn't even take place inside a WWE ring. On January 1 in the main event of Pro Wrestling NOAH's The New Year 2023 event, Nakamura competed against and defeated The Great Muta in what was one of the last singles matches in the WWE Hall of Famer's career.