Shinsuke Nakamura has been a big part of NXT for a year – but he has even bigger dreams of performing on WWE’s grandest stage.

I interviewed the 2-time former NXT champion Wednesday as part of the WWE championship reveal at Lake Eola. When I asked him about eventually transitioning from Saturday NXT TakeOver events to WrestleMania Sundays, the usually lively superstar paused for about 15 seconds, staring at the 30-foot-long belt by the lake. When he resumed talking, he was much quieter.

“I hope. I hope. I want to go to the next [level],” Nakamura said finally. “If I can wrestle at WrestleMania, that’s going to be awesome. I… really… want… WrestleMania.”

Is that the culmination of why you came to the United States, I asked? Nakamura nodded.

“Yeah,” he said. “Yeah. I want to wrestle at the biggest wrestling show on the Earth.”

Nakamura, who has long been considered one of the best wrestlers in the world, is expected to face Bobby Roode for the NXT title at TakeOver Orlando on Saturday, April 1, at Amway Center.

A giant WrestleMania championship belt is unveiled at Lake Eola in downtown Orlando to announce the return of WrestleMania, Wednesday, March 8, 2017. The event, produced by the WWE, is now in its 33rd year and will be held at Camping World Stadium, April 2. In addition to executives and elected officials, WWE superstars Shinsuke Nakamura, Peyton Royce, Mandy Rose, and No Way Jose participated in the ceremony. (Joe Burbank/Orlando Sentinel) (Joe Burbank) (Joe Burbank)

Nakamura debuted with a lot of hype in NXT during last year’s WrestleMania weekend in Dallas, and with good reason – he was a multi-time champion during 14 years in New Japan Pro Wrestling and competed in the main event of Wrestle Kingdom at the Tokyo Dome, arguably the second-biggest show in the world annually.

But coming into his NXT debut match against Sami Zayn, he still felt nervous. Would U.S. fans embrace the King of Strong Style? He needn’t have worried – his battle with Zayn was considered one of the best in the world last year. He said it’s still his favorite match in NXT because of the pressure he felt.

“My debut at TakeOver Dallas was so special for me,” he said. “I could prove it in just one match against Sami Zayn. I never wrestled with him before, but I knew I could prove myself real quick.”

Orlando unveils giant WWE title belt at Lake Eola »

Since his debut, Nakamura has retained the flamboyance, charisma and technical excellence he showed in New Japan, whether it’s in front of 400 fans at Full Sail University in Winter Park or before thousands at TakeOver events in Brooklyn and San Antonio. In the meantime, he’s also had the opportunity to teach many of the younger wrestlers he works with at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando.

“ I already have a lot of experience,” Nakamura said. “I’m not somebody green in developmental, so NXT is something interesting where the experienced people and the young people mix. We can teach them, and they can learn from us. [Teaching them] is always good stimulation for me.”

NXT superstar No Way Jose said he has benefited from Nakamura’s presence.

“A man with the kind of charisma he has, the kind of talents he has, he does so much in terms of the growth of our company,” Jose said. “And he’s so knowledgeable. … He’s probably forgotten more things than we know, and that’s a cliché, but it’s true.”

Nakamura is passing on his trademark “Strong Style” to a new generation. He said the style that he learned as a youngster in New Japan is about more than just hard hitting.

“The key is, putting emotion into the ring makes it real. People call me king of strong style, and that’s why,” Nakamura said. “I can do that -- not just anger but every emotion. I can always do that. I always change — I want to change every time, always looking for something new, but basically it’s the same. Pro wrestling is show fighting, so it’s basically the same in the United States, Mexico, Europe, Japan. Wrestling is wrestling. [No matter the size of the crowd,] I just do what I want to do. Everything comes from my brain, and it just explodes.”

Check out the explosion during NXT TakeOver Orlando on April 1 at Amway Center or on the WWE Network – and maybe soon at WrestleMania.

WWE superstars read at Orlando library event »

jreddick@orlandosentinel.com. For more wrestling news from The Suplex blog, visit orlandosentinel.com/prowrestling.