Shinsuke Nakamura found a new ally for himself on WWE SmackDown (5/21/21). The Japanese professional wrestler teamed up with Rick Boogs for his match (and maybe for future endeavors) against King Corbin.

The match between Corbin and Nakamura was a pretty competitive one. Towards the end of the match, it seemed Corbin had the advantage on his side.

Although Boogs was not directly involved in the action, a timely distraction from Rick allowed Nakamura to take control of the situation and emerge as the winner.

Ever since his electrifying entrance on SmackDown, WWE fans have wondered who this Rik Boogs is. Turns out, Rik is a familiar face in the wrestling world.

Who is Rick Boogs?

Rick Boogs, aka Eric Bugenhagen, is a former amateur American wrestler. The 33-year-old began his WWE journey in October 2017 with NXT.

He faced Lars Sullivan in a losing effort on the October 19 episode of WWE NXT. His struggle continued through most parts of his NXT career.

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After a year-long hiatus, Rick came back from an injury and began wrestling with his original name in 2018. The change of name didn’t improve the results. But he faced constant losses in the tag team and singles match.

His most notable moment in the career came in February 2020 when he faced Finn Balor. Although he ended up on the losing side, he showed grit and determination and received hefty praises from critics.

Rick Boogs WWE 24/7 championship and TV commercials

Rick Boogs is a familiar face in T.V. commercials as he recently appeared in a number of WWE’s Old Spice advertisements as an Old Spice salesman who becomes The Nightpanther. Rick is also a two-time WWE 24/7 Champion.

Rik is an amazing entertainer. His Old Spice advertisements as ‘The Nightpanther’ have gathered him a cult fan following. He has also represented WWE in Evolve 143 and Evolve 144 where he defeated Anthony Greene aka August Grey.

Boogs plays guitar as a hobby and that is why, in the match between Nakamura and Corbin, he performed the entrance for Nakamura. His guitar strum distracted Corbin enough for Shinsuke to win.

The new ally is certainly entertaining fans with thrilling music and some action-packed wrestling. Currently, it is not certain whether we can expect the duo to enter the ring as a tag team. Only time will reveal how this new association turns out.

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