In August and September 2008, Nakajima entered NOAH's annual NTV Cup junior heavyweight tag team league, teaming with DDT's Kota Ibushi in the 8-team tournament. The two finished in fifth place with eight points, including a victory over 2007 winners, as well as the eventual 2008 winners, Kenta and Taiji Ishimori. Nakajima and Ibushi would team once more on September 8, 2008 on a co-production between DDT and SEM, NOAH's offshoot promotion for younger wrestlers, against DDT's HARASHIMA and Antonio Honda. The match originally went to a 20-minute time limit draw, but was restarted and Nakajima pinned Honda shortly thereafter. On September 14, 2008, Nakajima participated in American promotion Ring of Honor's second tour of Japan, teaming with Naomichi Marufuji against Kenta and Kota Ibushi in a special tag match. The two teams went to a 30-minute time limit draw; the match was restarted, but ended once more in a draw after an additional five minutes expired. The following week on September 20, Nakajima wrestled his first match in the United States, challenging GHC Junior Heavyweight Champion Bryan Danielson at ROH's "Glory by Honor VII". Danielson would retain his title, making Nakajima submit to the Cattle Mutilation.