Katsuhiko Nakajima: “Please Clear Your Schedule on the 31st”

The hottest free agent in Puroresu, Katsuhiko Nakajima has finally spoken about his plans.

By: R. Faliani

The former GHC Heavyweight Champion Katsuhiko Nakajima had an interview with Tokyo Sports yesterday to talk about his future projects and aspirations now that he’s a freelancer, and is aiming for the big companies. Nakajima said in an interview with PKDX: “Nothing concrete has been decided about my future.” as we reach the last months of 2023, we don’t know where will he stand next.

After leaving Pro Wrestling NOAH, Nakajima felt free to do what he wanted, which meant interacting with many companies like All Japan Pro Wrestling and New Japan Pro Wrestling. He also stated that he wanted to go big in the West and make himself a star like Konosuke Takeshita is currently doing in AEW. Thus making Tony Khan’s wallet shake a little bit after WrestleDream season. Therefore, we’ve seen Nakajima scheming things in the shadows, conscious of the expectations his figure brings.

Congratulations Shingo Takagi!!
So what’s next!? I’m all free.#njpw#shingotakagi https://t.co/BymzxncKXV

— 中嶋勝彦　Katsuhiko Nakajima (@Katsuhiko_N311) October 29, 2023

Nakajima is also free from certain limitations the NOAH roster had after Keiji Muto retired, or even before, with the state of the GHC Heavyweight Championship in limbo between prestige and irrelevancy, and both he and his partner Go Shiozaki having to carry the company. This situation, just like we expressed in our critique of NOAH’s booking of the GHC belt back in 2022, could be the reason Nakajima left too.

But now, we’re in the last months of 2023, and the man of the hour has spoken. The last time we saw him outside of NOAH was in AJPW’s Korakuen show, where he threw flowers at the head of Kento Miyahara and left mad. After Tokyo Sports asked him about that situation, Nakajima expressed: “I thought he would win. Is Kento getting weaker, or is All Japan getting stronger?”

Katsuhiko Nakajima Confronts Kento Miyahara in AJPW

Nakajima also stated his interest in the Triple Crown Championship that Yuma Aoyagi is currently holding. The Aoyagi brothers have made a significant impact in the Puro industry these last few years, and with both Yuma carrying the Triple Crown scene, and his brother Atsuki Aoyagi carrying the All Japan junior heavyweight division, it’s obvious Nakajima would want to test the young boys. He’s a 15-year-old veteran for a reason, he knows how this game works.

Nakajima also wants to win the Triple Crown because his master Kensuke Sasaki did it first, and despite his ups and downs throughout history, it’s still a prestigious and historic belt to carry around your waist. Its legacy has been written already and despite All Japan’s dark ages during the 2000s, the biggest prize in the company still has a lot of value.

フリー転向・中嶋勝彦が池上本門寺で語った３冠王座への胸中「目指すべき場所の一つ」｜東スポWEB#ajpw #noah_ghc
https://t.co/geKJ4PIDDl

— 東スポ　プロレス格闘技担当 (@tospo_battle) October 29, 2023

Then, Nakajima dropped the bomb: “There’s something I want to do. Please clear your schedule on the 31st.” With the freedom that a freelancer presumes, Nakajima told Tokyo Sports that he’s completely free to do what he wants to on the 31st. On the 31st we will see New Japan Pro Wrestling bringing yet another show of the Super Junior Tag League, and we will also see the WWE bringing NXT Halloween Havoc to the mix, so do with that information what you will. Nakajima’s future remains a mystery, but if you join the pieces of the puzzle, you can see where he will go and where we will enjoy “The Genius of the Kick” once again.