Backstage Update on Shinsuke Nakamura’s WWE Status

– A rumor surfaced earlier this week on wrestling social media threads and channels attributed to PWTorch’s Wade Keller that former WWE United States Champion Shinsuke Nakamura was on his way out of WWE soon, and that his US Title rematch with LA Knight was originally planned for WrestleMania 41. However, the match was moved up earlier to SmackDown this month instead. Thus far, there appears to be no evidence that Wade Keller reported this rumor on his recent podcasts (h/t WhatCulture.com). Fightful Select also later reported that after asking about the topic with WWE, no one had heard anything to lend credibility to the rumor that Nakamura was leaving the company.

Dave Meltzer also discussed the rumor on today’s Wrestling Observer Radio. According to Meltzer, after reaching out to WWE on Nakamura’s status, they responded that Nakamura leaving the company was “completely false.”

Meltzer added that he later asked WWE if Nakamura’s match against LA Knight on SmackDown last week was the King of Strong Style’s last match and if he would not be used before his contract expires. He noted that he’s not yet received an answer from WWE to that question.

At the moment, Nakamura is still part of WWE and still under contract. Meltzer also stated, “I am not sure what the Nakamura thing is other than he’s not being released from his contract, he’s still under contract, he’s still with the company.”

Nakamura rarely appeared on WWE TV last year after being drafted to the SmackDown roster during the 2024 WWE draft in April, mostly wrestling on the house show circuit. He finally made his WWE TV return in November to ignite a feud with LA Knight, culminating in his US Title win later that month at Survivor Series.

Shinsuke Nakamura later lost the WWE United States Championship back to LA Knight on last Friday’s edition of WWE SmackDown.