WWE dropped its strongest hint yet that Hiromu Takahashi is headed to Friday Night SmackDown, potentially as Shinsuke Nakamura’s tag team partner.
The tease came after the 8/14 episode, when Nakamura once again referenced the mysterious partner he intends to bring in against Tama Tonga and Talla Tonga. MFT captured the WWE Tag Team Championship that same night, defeating Damian Priest and R-Truth and the War Raiders in a Triple Threat Match.
This time, though, Nakamura all but gave away his partner’s identity. On top of describing him as experienced, dangerous, and chaotic, the Japanese star called his ally a “ticking time bomb.”
That choice of words is hard to miss, as “Ticking Time Bomb” is Hiromu Takahashi’s signature nickname. He carried the moniker throughout his run in NJPW, where he established himself as one of the premier names in the Junior Heavyweight division.
Cultaholic Wrestling @Cultaholic Follow Read more 👇
https://t.co/a2SRWlvjzG 9:10 AM · Aug 15, 2026
Takahashi officially departed NJPW on 2/11 after 16 years with the promotion. Over the course of his career there, he captured the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship five times, won four Best of the Super Juniors tournaments, and held the IWGP Tag Team Championship alongside Tetsuya Naito.
His name has been closely tied to WWE ever since. In July, Fightful Select reported that the internal expectation was already for Takahashi to join the company, while separate rumors pointed to the possible use of the ring name Nox Raijin.
WWE has yet to officially confirm Takahashi as Nakamura’s partner. But with a reference that specific to his best-known nickname, all signs point to his debut being very close.