The Great Muta will be inducted into the WWE Hall Of Fame as part of its WrestleMania week celebrations.
The legendary Japanese wrestler was revealed as the second inductee into the class of 2023 Hall of Fame by Rick Flair on WWE’s The Bump. Rey Mysterio Jr. was revealed as the inaugural inductee into the 2023 Hall of Fame.
Flair and the Great Muta shared a ring in WCW during his early career in the US.
Muta teamed with Terry Funk to battle the team of Sting and Flair at WCW Halloween Havoc in 1989. The match was notorious for Muta using his mist to extinguish a fire that broke out in the electrified steel cage surrounding the ring.
‘Tremendous Athlete’ Great Muta In WWE Hall of Fame
Flair said it was his “distinguished honour” to induct The Great Muta into the Hall of Fame
“He’s a tremendous guy, tremendous athlete, a great person and a great man.” Flair said.
“I wrestled [The Great Muta] probably 500 times and can’t think of a better guy for the company to honour. When you’re honoured and enshrined into the WWE Hall of Fame it makes you a special, special person.”
Flair said he couldn’t think of many people who were as smooth and athletic as Muta. “The Nature Boy” added that he adapted to the US style well and was a joy to be around.
Flair revealed that Muta has a special place in his heart as he was with his son a few days before he passed away.
🚨 It's official! The Great Muta will be inducted into the #WWEHOF this year! @RicFlairNatrBoy shares a special message about his longtime friend and rival.#WWETheBump pic.twitter.com/pg5zLPumnz
— WWE (@WWE) March 15, 2023
Retirement And Rumours
Muta retired earlier this year following a tour. He fought against WWE’s Shinsuke Nakamura on New Year’s Day which led to rumors WWE was planning to induct him into the Hall of Fame.
Muta’s retirement matches also included teaming with Sting and Darby Allin against Hakushi, Akira, and Naomichi Marufuji.
Keiji Muta – the man behind The Great Muta – lost his final match against Tetsuya Naito, last month.
Hall of Fame Career
Muta feuded with Sting over the NWA World Television Championship throughout 89/90. Muta held the championship for 121 before losing it to Arn Anderson. He then held the IWGP and NWA World Heavyweight titles in tandem.
Muta held the IWGP Heavyweight Championship four times in his three-decade career. He battled against the likes of Masahiro Chono Genichiro Tenryu, Scott Norton, The Great Kabuki, Hiroshi Tanahashi, and Nakamura for the championship.
Muta had 27-title reigns across his career spanning NJPW, AJPW, WCW, and NWA runs.
The Great Muta x Stunning Steve Austin (Spring Stampede 1994) 🌟 pic.twitter.com/dA2g4210Ic
— Vintage Puroresu プロレス (@vintagepuro) March 13, 2023
Photo Credits: WWE.com. Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on this and other stories from around the world of wrestling, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the major news in the wrestling world, as well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world. You can check out an almost unlimited array of WWE content on the WWE Network and Peacock.
