As previously reported, Shinsuke Nakamura was in the corner of Rei Tsuruya at UFC 303, as the pair even came out to Nakamura’s music. The Wrestling Observer Newsletter has more details on the appearance and what led to it happening.
Nakamura said that he knew Tsuruya’s father and that they trained together when Nakamura did MMA. The father asked him to be in Rei’s corner and he was happy to do it. He noted he liked the atmosphere of being at a UFC show.
Nakamura previously said that at one point, he was asked to fight in UFC but he chose to remain loyal to NJPW. He did wish he could have had one fight, though.
