Major Update: NJPW Officially Strips Shinsuke Nakamura of the IWGP Intercontinental Title

Last week, the latest rumors on the possibility of New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Shinsuke Nakamura leaving the promotion and going to WWE claimed that the IWGP Intercontinental Champion still had some dates in January, but he’d be dropping the Championship to Kenny Omega by the end of the month.

In a shocking development that more or less confirms that Nakamura is WWE bound, New Japan Pro Wrestling has officially stripped him of the IWGP Intercontinental Championship.

It was reported before that a feud was building between Nakamura and Omega that would end with the champ doing Omega a great favor and putting him over before leaving for WWE or somewhere else.

NJPW officials have decided just to strip him of the championship and let him do his final shows without the IWGP title.

As of this writing, there is no information if this move was done for negative reasons in the negotiations to keep Nakamura with NJPW but this news confirms that Nakamura is cutting ties with the promotion.

The rumors of WWE signing him should heat up from here and given the steam of the rumors, it looks like Shinsuke Nakamura will be the first rumored NJPW star to sign with WWE later this month.