Newly crowned NXT champion Shinsuke Nakamura is one of the biggest superstars in the WWE at the moment. In a recent interview, Nakamura revealed that he would want to face John Cena in a WrestleMania match.
The King of Strong Style defeated Samoa Joe on Saturday, August 20 at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn II in a great, hard-hitting match. He is still undefeated in the WWE and he will look to continue his dominance until he gets called up to the main roster.
In an interview with Sports Illustrated, Nakamura talked about his matches against Joe and Sami Zayn. He also revealed his dream opponent for WrestleMania and the wrestling legends and pop culture icons that influenced his character.
The 36-year-old praised Joe's MMA-wrestling style and called him a "special" talent. On the other hand, he noted that he quickly built some chemistry with Zayn in their match at NXT TakeOver: Dallas. It was his first ever WWE match and first time wrestling Zayn.
"I'd like to fight at WrestleMania. John Cena that's a great choice," Nakamura answered when asked about his dream WrestleMania match.
Nakamura revealed that "Macho Man" Randy Savage and Andre The Giant are the wrestlers he looked up to while growing up. He described the two WWE Hall of Famers as easy characters to understand and mimic.
As for the pop icons that influenced him, it was Michael Jackson and Freddie Mercury. Nakamura's charisma can be compared to any of those two musical legends and it can be seen during his entrance that captivates almost anyone.
According to Sportskeeda, Nakamura may be called up sooner than expected. However, the report has not been confirmed and him being the NXT champion will delay his main roster debut. It should be noted that he is the first NXT superstar to get paid "main roster" salary.
The report mentioned that Vince McMahon might want Nakamura on the main roster before WrestleMania 33. He will be an instant attraction with his entrance alone being a spectacle for everyone to behold.
Nevertheless, Nakamura's future with the WWE is undoubtedly bright and a WrestleMania match with Cena will shoot him up to the top. The 15-time WWE World champion is currently on hiatus to film the second season of his TV show and he is rumored to be facing The Undertaker at WrestleMania 33.
Check out the video below for Nakamura's entrance at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn II.