Move over, Samoa Joe. There’s a new champion in town.
Shinsuke Nakamura, currently one of the most over wrestlers in the entire WWE system, defeated Samoa Joe for the NXT championship Saturday night at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn II at the Barclays Center.
Joe had been the champion since April, when he ended Finn Balor’s reign at a house show in Lowell, Mass. Nakamura debuted less than five months ago at NXT TakeOver: Dallas, the night before WrestleMania 32, and has built upon his incredible success and beloved fandom from New Japan Pro Wrestling ever since.
Saturday night, the fan love might have reached an all-time high during Nakamura’s incredible entrance for the championship match when Michael Jordan’s violinist, Lee England Jr., began Nakamura’s entrance with a live rendition of his theme music.
.@LeeEnglandJr accompanies @ShinsukeN's entrance theme as the #KingOfStrongStyle makes his entrance! #NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/yAJogQsYCk
— WWE (@WWE) August 21, 2016
An entrance fit for the KING of STRONG STYLE, @ShinsukeN! #NXTTakeOver #KingOfStrongStyle https://t.co/O06q4Fhumh
— WWE (@WWE) August 21, 2016
The pose! @ShinsukeN #NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/v0feBviAC6
— WWE Universe (@WWEUniverse) August 21, 2016
Nakamura finished Joe off with two Kinshasas to claim his new championship. He — and the rest of the WWE Universe — celebrated appropriately.
And the NEW @WWENXT Champion… @ShinsukeN!!! #NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/fAo1YU40GB
— #WWE2K24 (@WWEgames) August 21, 2016
#KINSHASA x 2!!! We have a NEW @WWENXT Champion!!
Congratulations to @ShinsukeN!! #NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/vuIp5cwx37— WWE (@WWE) August 21, 2016
The #KingOfStrongStyle is officially YOUR #NXTChampion!!!! @ShinsukeN #NXTTakeOver #NXTChampionship https://t.co/siEkQbGaIL
— WWE (@WWE) August 21, 2016
The Nakamura sing along is real…even in the hallways of the Barclays Center. #NXTTakeOver pic.twitter.com/1O6gEtf5Yu
— Randy Cruz (@randyjcruz) August 21, 2016
The King of Strong Style is here, and he’s here to stay.
Thumbnail photo via Twitter/@WWEgames
