Shinsuke Nakamura reacts to possible WWE retirement at Backlash 2026

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IYO beat Asuka clean but what followed shocked the entirety of the WWE Universe. The Empress of Tomorrow broke into tears following her match and broke character. She embraced her student and waved goodbye to the fans before walking away from the ring. Many believe that this was her last match in the company and she’s now retired.

Shinsuke Nakamura reacted to the incident at Backlash by paying a heartfelt tribute to his fellow Japanese star. Nakamura shared a monochromatic picture of Asuka on his official X account, possibly hinting that she’s actually retired now. Fans also started believing that the news of Asuka’s retirement is true now that Shinsuke Nakamura has posted a tribute for her.

It will be interesting to see if we will ever get to see Asuka compete inside a WWE ring ever again.

Shinsuke Nakamura could also retire from the WWE within the next few years

The King of Strong Styles made his debut in the Stamford-based company nearly a decade ago. By the time he got to WWE, Shinsuke Nakamura has already established himself as one of the biggest names in New Japan Pro Wrestling. His rivalries with AJ Styles and Hiroshi Tanahashi had turned him into a global star.

However, his WWE run has been rather underwhelming as the company stopped pushing him much after his WrestleMania 34 loss to Styles. Shinsuke Nakamura is 46 years old now and has already accomplished a lot in the business. He faced AJ Styles earlier this year ahead of the Phenomenal One’s final match at the Royal Rumble.

Considering the fact that WWE doesn’t see him as a top star anymore and his growing age, Shinsuke Nakamura could hang up the boots in the next few years. Fans are curious to see how the company will handle Nakamura’s retirement.