By Arpit Shrivastava

Copyright sportskeeda

A major star who’s been conspicuously absent from WWE’s programming in recent months is reportedly set to make an appearance on this week’s SmackDown. According to PWInsider, Shinsuke Nakamura is expected to return this Friday night. Things have gone downhill for The King of Strong Style ever since he lost the US Title in March. After failing to qualify for the Money in the Bank match and losing in the first round of the King of the Tournament, he disappeared from TV.After three months of unexplained absence, it looks like Shinsuke Nakamura is close to making his comeback just ahead of Wrestlepalooza 2025. PWInsider reported that Nakamura is expected to appear at the Toledo show on Friday.However, there’s no clarity on what’s planned for the former IC Champion, and WWE, too, hasn’t made any announcement yet. Considering Nakamura is a decorated star, having won the IC and NXT Titles twice, the US Title thrice, and the Tag Team Title once, fans are clamoring to see him in a prominent spot in the company with a clear-cut direction.WWE seems to have set up Shinsuke Nakamura’s returnIn a development that was very reassuring for Shinsuke Nakamura’s fans, the veteran performer was seen in two backstage segments on last week’s SmackDown. Both segments featured the reigning US Champion Sami Zayn, suggesting that WWE might be planning to have the two stars face each other. Zayn and Nakamura have gone to war multiple times in the past, with their first match in 2016 considered one of the best in the company’s history. Only time will tell if these two stars can find their chemistry back as their subsequent encounters paled in comparison to what they achieved at NXT Takeover: Dallas.For now, fans can expect the sports entertainment juggernaut to have Nakamura come face-to-face with Zayn on SmackDown and plant the seeds for a match down the line.