We’re seeing the end of an era, as one of the biggest stars to ever come from Japan in professional wrestling is set to retire in 2023. Keiji Muto AKA The Great Muta is hanging up his boots in February, with Pro Wrestling NOAH running the Tokyo Dome for his final match. Ahead of that, he’s getting as many matches as possible in – and one is something no one expected to see happen. He’s going one on one with Shinsuke Nakamura on January 1st, 2023.
Shinsuke Nakamura Is Currently Signed To WWE
Shinsuke Nakamura is a figure that is no stranger to Keiji Muto, having faced him in the past during his time in New Japan Pro Wrestling. Currently signed to WWE, Nakamura has not wrestled outside of WWE since 2015, having spent the past seven years as part of their roster. This made it shocking that during NOAH Ariake Triumph – The Return – Pro-Wrestling Love Forever 3 ~ Triumph ~ we would see Nakamura appear in a video announcement, and a match against The Great Muta would be confirmed for Pro Wrestling NOAH’s January 1st event.
We knew Muto would be wrestling on that event, as he had to turn down an offer for NJPW Wrestle Kingdom due to not having time to recover between matches. No one expected it to be under the Great Muta persona, and especially not against someone from the WWE roster. Muto & Nakamura have wrestled four prior matches, with their last being a singles meeting over the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in 2008.
The last time WWE allowed one of their wrestlers to work in NOAH was in 2018, when KENTA wrestled Naomichi Marufuji under this WWE ring name of Hideo Itami. WWE is open to allowing talent to work elsewhere, but the demanding schedule can often make it to happen.
Great Muta Has Never Wrestled In WWE
With some communication happening between NOAH & WWE, it’s very possible that this leads to a WWE appearance from Muto. There’s a good chance he finds his way into the Royal Rumble match, set for January 2023. Muto has never been able to work a match for WWE over his 38 year career, but had a lengthy run as part of the World Championship Wrestling roster.
He’d be a welcome surprise in the match, which would offer an easy way for him to scratch that off his list before retirement. Muta is set to wrestle for NJPW on November 20th, teaming with Kazuchika Okada & Toru Yano to face Jeff Cobb, Aaron Henare, and Great-O-Khan in six man tag team action.
Do you think Muta will be in the Royal Rumble? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=raauwR7lPs8
