Shinsuke Nakamura Eliminated Early in Royal Rumble 2025: What Gives?

One of the best things Vince McMahon ever did for the WWE was to open it up to international competitors. By bringing in people from places like Japan and Mexico, he helped transform the sport in powerful ways. That’s what makes the fate of current United States Champion Shinsuke Nakamura in the 2025 Royal Rumble a little tricky. What’s going on with this performer?

Shinsuke Nakamura Eliminated Early 

Fan favorite Shinsuke Nakamura is known for his fantastic athleticism, exceptional competitive skills in the ring, and his charisma during interviews. However, his performance during the 2025 Men’s Royal Rumble was of concern to some fans. While he faced off well against Penta and held his own for a long time, he was unceremoniously tossed by Jey Uso in a frustrating moment for his many fans, some of whom have waited a long time for the Shinobi Assassin to get his due. 

In fact, more than one has started to wonder if Nakamura is becoming an afterthought in WWE. While he still gets matches and attention for his athleticism, many worry that he isn’t being used to his full potential. After all, when such a high-flying and dynamic performer gets tossed out of Royal Rumble so early, there’s always some concern about behind-the-scenes issues.

A Career That Deserves More Presence 

The creatives at WWE almost always know what they’re doing with their talent, so perhaps it’s a little early to start wondering what to make of their approach to Shinsuke Nakamura. Since making his debut in the NXT and becoming the champion there twice, he has been a fan-favorite for his Japanese-style wrestling, which is very aggressive and charismatic. 

As a three-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion – one of the most popular in Japan at that – Nakamura came into the WWE and quickly scored wins over John Cena, Dolph Ziggler, and Randy Norton: no lightweights, those! He also won the 2018 Royal Rumble, earned an Intercontinental Title, and even got a SmackDown Tag Team Title with teammate Cesaro.

Amazingly, Nakamura’s 2023 WWE Raw appearance ended with a win over the then World Heavyweight Champion Seth “Freakin’” Rollins in a match nobody predicted! Well, nobody but the bold Nakamura, who actually “called his shot,” i.e., said he would win and exactly how it would happen. Since then, though, his career has been a little quiet, and his recent loss at Royal Rumble illustrates that. Fans are a little worried about what Nakamura’s next move might be now.

What’s Next for Nakamura?

With a United States Championship under his belt and the respect of his peers throughout the industry, Nakamura’s career should keep moving up and up. After all, there’s just something about the wild style of Japanese wrestlers that simply can’t be emulated. Hopefully, WWE scriptwriters understand this performer’s immense popularity and start funneling him into some exciting storylines. Can you imagine him winning a ladder? We can, and we think it should be made a reality as soon as possible.

The 2025 WWE Royal Rumble featured just four matches, but there was no shortage of huge moments.

The night’s biggest winners were Charlotte Flair, who won the Women’s Royal Rumble, DIY, who retained the Tag Team Championship, Cody Rhodes, who defended the WWE Championship, and Jey Uso, who shocked the world by winning the Men’s Royal Rumble