Japanese wrestling legend, Keiji Mutoh (a.k.a. The Great Muta) will be officially inducted into the industries most synonymous Hall of Fame as part of WrestleMania weekdend in April. The Great Muta has been a staple of international competition since the 1990s, competing not only in his home country to huge acclaim but also travelling overseas to wrestle with some of the West’s biggest stars.
Trained by the equally legendary Antonio Inoki (also a WWE Hall of Famer), Muta was best known for his run as IWGP Heavyweight Champion in New Japan Pro Wrestling, feuding with the likes of Riki Choshu and Hiroyoshi Tenzan. But for those not so familiar with the world of puroresu, then you might better know Muta for his on-off work in WCW, battling legends such as Ric Flair and Sting throughout the brand’s rise to prominence. Muta has also sporadically appeared for other promotions, including Impact Wrestling, Wrestle-1 and most recently, All Elite Wrestling.
Muta is undoubtedly a legend in the wider world of wrestling and even though the man himself never truly appeared for WWE, his legacy is felt through the likes of Shinsuke Nakamura, IYO SKY and many other wrestlers that have been influenced by his style. A nod of respect from the world’s biggest wrestling company is more than enough to solidify his reputation as one of the GOATs, and it’ll be great to see him step out onto the Grandest Stage in Hollywood.
Congratulations to The Great Muta, now back to Yakuza where Kazuma Kiryu will wipe the floor with a WWE Hall of Famer.
READ NEXT: WrestleMania 39 Card: Predicting 8 Matches We Might See
Some of the coverage you find on Cultured Vultures contains affiliate links, which provide us with small commissions based on purchases made from visiting our site.