Update On Shinsuke Nakamura Wrestling The Great Muta in NOAH
Pro Wrestling NOAH has provided a small update on Nakamura/Muta match in NOAH…one that has big implications.
Keiji Muto, a.k.a. The Great Muta, has been wrestling for almost forty years. He’s widely considered one of the most influential and memorable Japanese wrestlers to wrestle stateside. And like Jushin Liger before him, Muto/Muta has announced his retirement tour leading up to his big farewell match.
It was announced recently that Shinsuke Nakamura will wrestle The Great Muta on January 1st, 2023. Nakamura’s appearance will be part of Muto/Muta’s farewell tour, which culminates in a farewell show on February 21st, 2023. However, this match almost didn’t happen.
According to an article from Tokyo Sports with the translation posted on Twitter, NOAH approached WWE months earlier for this match but the two companies couldn’t come to an agreement.
But then things changed when Vince McMahon retired. Once Triple H took over, negotiations resumed until finally, an agreement was reached on October 26th.
Shinsuke Nakamura and Keiji Muto/Great Muta have only had four matches together. Their last match together was at Destruction 2008 when Muto retained his IWGP Heavyweight Championship against the man he beat for the title.
Nakamura teamed up with Hit Row on the October 28th edition of Smackdown as the trio beat Legado Del Fantasma in a six-man tag team match.