Ladies and gentlemen, hold onto your top ropes! WWE superstar Shinsuke Nakamura is stepping away from the squared circle to dive into the octagon for a bit. That’s right, Nakamura, the King of Strong Style himself, will be cornering his good friend and Flyweight fighter Rei Tsuruya at the upcoming UFC 303 event in Las Vegas on June 29. This bout marks Tsuruya’s UFC debut after a victorious match in February at an event humorously titled “Road to UFC.” Tsuruya is looking to maintain his perfect record and go 10-0 against Carlos Hernandez, who sits at 9-3 overall and 2-2 in UFC. This matchup promises to be more thrilling than a double moonsault off the top rope!
For the younger WWE universe members who might not know, Nakamura has an MMA past that’s as colorful as his wrestling attire. Between 2002 and 2004, he racked up a 3-1 record with one no-contest. Expressing his enthusiasm, Nakamura told ESPN, “I am excited to be a part of the massive UFC 303 event this weekend. It is an honor to be in Tsuruya Rei’s corner. MMA is still a huge passion of mine and to be a part of Rei’s UFC debut is a great moment.” Sounds like Nakamura is ready to swap his knee strikes for corner advice!
But wait, there’s more! The news has sent ripples through the WWE locker room, catching the eye of none other than Baron Corbin. Corbin, known for his successful amateur boxing career and regional Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu (BJJ) events, where he’s earned a blue belt, took to Instagram to extend an invitation to Nakamura. “Heck yeah. Come corner me in Orlando at ibjjf,” Corbin posted, hoping to snag Nakamura’s expertise for his own corner. Nakamura hasn’t responded yet, possibly waiting to see if Tsuruya triumphs at UFC 303 before taking up Corbin’s offer.
It looks like Nakamura’s foray into the world of MMA cornering is not only exciting for him but also sparking interest among his WWE peers. Will we see Nakamura juggling wrestling and cornering duties in the future? Only time will tell, but for now, all eyes are on UFC 303 and Tsuruya’s big debut. Stay tuned, folks!