How many championships does Shinsuke Nakamura need to become a Grand Slam champion?
WWE Superstar Shinsuke Nakamura is close to being a Grand Slam Champion. He only needs one specific title in his kitty. Joining the pursuit is Sheamus, although the veteran wrestler needs to win the Intercontinental Championship to make history, a route different from Nakamura’s.
To be recognized as a Grand Slam Champion in WWE, a superstar has to win four specific championships throughout their career. Their trophy cabinet should include three singles championships, with one being a world title and a tag team championship.
What currently constitutes a "world title"? To answer the question, the most sought-after prize in the promotion, namely the WWE Championship and the Universal Championship. Roman Reigns holds both world titles with a reign of over 150 days.
Shinsuke Nakamura’s tally excludes only one world title. He is a two-time Intercontinental champion, a two-time United States Champion, and a former Tag Team Champion with Antonio Cesaro (aka Claudio Castagnoli in AEW).
The Kick of Strong Style won his first title on the main roster at WWE Extreme Rules 2018 by controversially defeating United States Champion Jeff Hardy. Nakamura’s last championship victory was on August 13, 2021, when he defeated Apollo Crews to win the Intercontinental Championship on the blue brand.
Roman Reigns and Shinsuke Nakamura have fought before. However, they never faced each other for the world titles. They scarcely met in singles matches, and whenever they did, Reigns got the better of Nakamura. Their penultimate showdown was at Tribute to the Troops 2021.
A favorite of the WWE Universe, Shinsuke Nakamura recently made headlines when he competed against The Great Muta at the NOAH New Year 2023 event. He won the bout and laid the foundation for more inter-promotional matches to come.
Shinsuke Nakamura swore vengeance on The Bloodline after Rick Boogs’ injury
At WrestleMania the previous year, Shinsuke Nakamura and Rick Boogs teamed to put a stop to The Usos' reign as SmackDown Tag Team Champions. Midway through the bout, Boogs suffered an injury and wasn't able to finish the match. This led to Nakamura being easy prey for Jimmy and Jey Uso.
#SmackDownRick Boogs coming out with Shinsuke Nakamura is not the same without Pat McAfee 😔 #SmackDown https://t.co/dCPslQ99Zw
The Artist then allied with Matt Riddle and tried to dethrone The Usos once but in a losing cause. Before the showdown on the June 3 episode of SmackDown, Nakamura vowed revenge on his friend during an appearance on Talking Smack. He is yet to deliver a fatal blow to The Bloodline, though.
“I beat Sami Zayn tonight but I think he’s not a representative of Bloodline. But I haven’t forgotten what they did to me, what they did to my friend Rick Boogs. Sooner or later, I’m going to catch Roman Reigns. Then, I’m going to take his title.” (H/T Cageside)
Could Shinsuke Nakamura somehow be included in the drama between Kevin Owens and Sami Zayn? It would be worth exploring. The Artist is currently devoid of a rival, and bolstering Owens’ rebellion against The Bloodline may lead to interesting things happening on WWE SmackDown.