WWE Royal Rumble Winner Staying Put Despite Exit Rumours

It seems a former Royal Rumble winner will be staying put with WWE despite suggestions that they were on the way out of the company imminently.

Shinsuke Nakamura lost the WWE US Championship to LA Knight on the March 7 edition of SmackDown, bringing his third reign with the title to an end at 97 days.

Following that loss, rumours made the rounds online that the 2018 Royal Rumble winner could be done with WWE when his contract ends. It was also suggested that Nakamura could make his return to New Japan Pro Wrestling in time to be part of his former tag team partner turned rival Hiroshi Tanahashi’s retirement tour. Tanahashi will get in the ring for the last time at 2026’s Wrestle Kingdom on January 4.

Shinsuke Nakamura Not Leaving WWE

Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer noted he’d received a denial that Nakamura was leaving from WWE:

When that story first broke, I immediately contacted WWE and they immediately got back to me. The story they said was false was that Nakamura was leaving. I did ask later what that [Nakamura’s] last match, is he not going to be used until his contract expires and I did not get an answer yet on that.

Fightful Select also noted that WWE sources had claimed there was “no credibility” to suggestions Nakamura was on his way out of the company.

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