With Keiji Muto retiring in just over one match, his retirement tour has brought the wrestling world together to kick off 2023 with a massive match. Coming over from WWE, Shinsuke Nakamura is facing off one on one against Muto in his iconic Great Muta persona. This match coming together was a miracle, and only truly came together with Vince McMahon stepping down, and Triple H allowing Nakamura to return to his homeland of Japan.
Nakamuara & Muto have wrestled in the past in NJPW, but Nakamuara never faced the Great Muta persona, and Muta never met the King of Strong Style in his truest form. These are two of the most charismatic names to ever come from Japan, making this match larger than life. Simply put, this is the very definition of a dream match – fitting for his last ever singles match.
The King Of Strong-Style vs. The Living Legend
The crowd was already going insane for just the bell ringing – the moment not lost on anyone in the arena. Muta would get a rear waist lock, with Nakamura taken down to the mat for a double wrist lock. Nakamura would be able to block and pick the ankle of Muta before looking for a side headlock.
Muta broke free, and Nakamura would find the courage to mock the legend – willing Muta to bring it, as Muta spit some poison mist into the air. Leaving the ring, Muta would look for something under the ring, knowing the referee would never throw this match out with a DQ. Nakamura would follow, and ended up getting choked with a camera cable.
Muta would hit Nakamura in the head with a belt holder, before rolling him into the ring for the Flashing Elbow. STF would be applied in the middle of the ring, with Nakamura getting bitten as he went for the ropes. Muta would look for the Dragon Screw, only to be dropped with an enziguri.
Nakamura would hit a jump knee drop to the face, but only got a two count for his efforts. Muta would be choked in the corner, with Nakamura feeling some good vibrations. Nakamura would linger too long, and was taken down with a Dragon Screw into a leg lock. Muta would normally move into a Figure Four, but was fine with just hyper extending the leg.
Nakamura was able to kick his way free, but took a dropkick to the knee and Muta would apply the Figure Four Leg Lock. Muta is an expert with that move, meaning Nakamura would need to roll to the ropes to break this hold.
Shinsuke Nakamura Slays The Great Muta Using His Own Poison Mist
Nakamura would try to pull himself back to his feet in the corner, but Muta was quick on the attack with another Dragon Screw. Muta went for the Shining Wizard, but Nakamura was able to block – nailing a spinning heel kick. Nakamura would keep the strikes coming with an axe kick and the sliding dropkick to the neck.
Muta would be propped up on the ropes, and taken down with a sliding German Suplex. Nakamura went to the second rope, flying off with a knee strike for a two count. Boma-Ye was attempted, but Nakamura took a face full of red poison mist – the type that burns. Very few ever recover from this, and Muta would destroy the costume of Nakamura on the floor and choke him with the fabric on the floor.
Steel chair would be grabbed, with Muta taking the referee out, and Nakamura was nailed before being rolled into the ring. Muta would use the chair in the ring, with the referee down on the floor. Nakamura would finally recover from the mist and hit some stiff strikes before choking him with his boot.
Crown Knee Strikes would follow, nailing the spine of Muta. Sleeper Hold was applied over the ropes, weakening Muta for Nakmaura to run up the stage and come back with a big lariat. Nakamura was able to go for the Flying Armbar in the ring, with Muta fighting the full extension, tilting into the face of Nakamura and spraying Black Mist – the type that blinds.
Shining Wizard would follow, but somehow Nakamura would kick out. Nakamura would be able to nail the Kinshaha, but a second was met with a block. Muta would have the poison mist stolen before the Kinshaha would end this match.
Did you expect Nakamura to win this match? Let us know what you think in the comment section down below.
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