There’s been a lot of talk about retirements in the wrestling world recently as Goldberg retired a few months ago, John Cena is set to retire in December, AJ Styles confirmed he will be retiring in 2026, and Samoa Joe recently indicated that he will likely be retiring when his current AEW contract expires.
It’s true that no one can wrestle forever and now it seems that Shinsuke Nakamura is approaching the end of his career as well. At the recent Ryogoku Kokugikan in Tokyo, Japan, Shinsuke Nakamura teamed up with Jey Uso to defeat Bron Breakker and Bronson Reed. Following his match at the event, Shinsuke Nakamura took to social media to talk about how special Japan is, and he also noted that his retirement might not be far off when he posted the following:
“What a special place Japan is. especially for those of us who wrestle.
As AJ said, it’s a place worthy of giving everything you’ve got. Of course, that’s true anywhere in the world… but there’s something sacred here. I don’t know if it’s because I’m Japanese, but I believe the wrestlers and fans who shared this space all felt the same. Maybe.
He did too — John Cena, AJ — they’ve all chosen to step away from the ring. It reminds me that my own time might not be far off.
But I still have things I must do. I’m still struggling, still fighting, not knowing what tomorrow will bring.
All I can do is live this day with everything I have.
Thank you.
If only… one more time…”
What a special place Japan is. especially for those of us who wrestle.
As AJ said, it’s a place worthy of giving everything you’ve got. Of course, that’s true anywhere in the world… but there’s something sacred here. I don’t know if it’s because I’m Japanese, but I believe the…
— Shinsuke Nakamura (@ShinsukeN) October 18, 2025