2022 was a significant year of change for WWE. A complete overhaul of its management over the summer following the retirement of Vince McMahon. More evidence that even though McMahon is gone it won't be more of the same kicked off 2023 as Shinsuke Nakamura, a contracted WWE Superstar, traveled back to his homeland of Japan to compete in a very significant non-WWE match.
A "Miracle" Match
The King of Strong Style did battle with The Great Muta, the two of them squaring off during Pro Wrestling NOAH's The New Year event. The match was announced a couple of months ago, and Nakamura recently labeled it a “miracle” and admitted he would never have been allowed to do it had McMahon still been in charge.
The match has now been and gone, taking place in the early hours of Sunday morning US time. A part of The Great Muta's retirement tour, which will come to an end next month, the WWE man won the match. Nakamura needed to endure to get that done though, getting blinded by Muta's mist and kicking out of the icon's immaculate Shining Wizard.
Green Mist And A Kinshasha
After soldiering on through all of that, Nakamura hit Muta with some mist of his own. The former Intercontinental Champion then hit Muta with a Kinshasha and covered him for the win. Nakamura thanked Muta after the match, labeling him one of his idols. The two of them walked back up the entrance way together and posed at the top as fireworks went off around and above them.
Nakamura will presumably head back to the US for whatever WWE has planned for him since he isn't booked for any more shows in Japan. There's a chance he pops in to watch Wrestle Kingdom a few days from now though, especially with fellow WWE Superstar Karl Anderson booked on the show to defend the Never Openweight Championship.
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