Ladies and gentlemen Gary Hart presents from the land of the rising sun, the Pearl of the Orient, The Great Muta! That was how Muta was introduced at every major event in the NWA/WCW it gave him a sense of importance and was just a small piece in what the Great Muta so special. Muta had an aura about him, he wore unique face paint, colorful sequenced GI’s and matching pants with a hood that covered his entire face. After the hood was removed, Muta would spit a colored mist from his mouth, most often it was green, but he also had red, blue, black and yellow. Each mist carries its own unique brand of pain. For instance, the Green mist gives a temporary burning sensation, the red mist gives a stronger burning sensation for a longer period of time, blue puts the opponent to sleep, yellow temporarily paralyzes the opponent and black blinds the opponent for several weeks. Muta was handed this gift by his storyline father, The Great Kabuki, the originator of the poison mist gimmick.
While now he is an icon in Japan, Muta actually became a mega star while in the United States working for the National Wrestling Alliance. Muta became so good in the United States, Japan rehired him and the rest as they say is history. Muta had many feuds with all-time greats such as: Hulk Hogan, Sting, Hiroshi Hase, Jinsei Shinzaki and the Steiner Brothers. However, Muta’s greatest rival was Masahiro Chono. Chono and Muta actually had their first professional matches against each other and the rivalry took off from there, usually with Chono getting the better of Muta. While Chono was Muta’s greatest rival off all time, Sting was his greatest rival in the United States and in my opinion was the rivalry that put Muta on the map. Sting and Muta were very similar in styles. Both wore colorful face paint and attire, both were highly athletic and aerial artists, Sting was stronger than Muta, but Muta was more violent than Sting. Their rivalry over the Television Championship produced some classic matches and put Muta on the map as a big star.
Muta has wrestled for over thirty years and remains a top draw in Japan to this day. Muta has adapted his style to fit his age as well. While he is no longer able to pull off the Moonsault (The move which he invented) he has adapted to a more mat based/brawling style that has allowed him to remain a spectacle while not being asked to deliver five-star matched. What separates Muta from many wrestlers is his psychology, he is able to tell a perfectly crafted story without ever really speaking a word. His facial expressions and mannerisms are enough to convey the feelings he is wants to express to the audience.
Muta also wrestles under his real name of Keiji Mutoh. While the same person, the styles are extremely different. Muta, especially in Japan, his a violent, bloodthirsty almost animal like competitor while Mutoh is an honorable technician. This is yet another thing that makes Muta unique, while Mick Foley was able to create three separate personas, let’s be honest, the in-ring styles were very similar. While Muta does retain some of his trademark moves as his real self, the moves and psychology are extremely different. Either way, whether the is the Great Muta or Keiji Mutoh, he has produced fantastic matches.
Truthfully, I don’t know much about Muta away from the ring, I’ve never heard anyone speak ill of him, always seemed to be professional and hasn’t refused to do the job for anyone that I am aware of. While Muta remains a mystery on th outside of the ring, there is no doubt he is one of wrestling’s greatest in-ring performers ever. He’s also managed to become a superstar on two continents without ever working for the WWE, while he has had multiple runs in the NWA, WCW, and even in Impact Wrestling, the WWE has never been interested seemingly in bringing him in for even one match, that is an indictment on them, not Muta. What is next for Muta? Who knows, maybe he will get one match in the WWE, not that he needs it. Maybe he’ll have a brief stint in Impact Wrestling or Ring of Honor, wherever Muta goes he will bring his aura and credibility with him and that promotion will be better off for having him.
ESSENTIAL MUTA:
Great Muta vs. Hiroshi Hase (The Muta Scale)
Great Muta vs. Sting (11-22-92)
Great Muta vs. Hulk Hogan (5-3-93)
Great Muta vs. Great Kabuki (6-15-93)
Great Muta & Hulk Hogan vs. Hawk & Kensuke Sasaki (9-23-93)
Great Muta vs. Masahiro Chono (9-23-94)
Keiji Mutoh & Hiroshi Hase vs. The Steiner Brothers (1-4-95)
Great Muta vs. Jinsei Shinzaki (4-29-96)
Great Muta vs. Jushin Liger (10-20-96)
Great Muta vs. Masahiro Chono (4-7-00)
Keiji Mutoh vs. Genichiro Tenryu (6-8-01)
Muta has wrestled for over thirty years and remains a top draw in Japan to this day. Muta has adapted his style to fit his age as well. While he is no longer able to pull off the Moonsault (The move which he invented) he has adapted to a more mat based/brawling style that has allowed him to remain a spectacle while not being asked to deliver five-star matched. What separates Muta from many wrestlers is his psychology, he is able to tell a perfectly crafted story without ever really speaking a word. His facial expressions and mannerisms are enough to convey the feelings he is wants to express to the audience.
Muta also wrestles under his real name of Keiji Mutoh. While the same person, the styles are extremely different. Muta, especially in Japan, his a violent, bloodthirsty almost animal like competitor while Mutoh is an honorable technician. This is yet another thing that makes Muta unique, while Mick Foley was able to create three separate personas, let’s be honest, the in-ring styles were very similar. While Muta does retain some of his trademark moves as his real self, the moves and psychology are extremely different. Either way, whether the is the Great Muta or Keiji Mutoh, he has produced fantastic matches.
Truthfully, I don’t know much about Muta away from the ring, I’ve never heard anyone speak ill of him, always seemed to be professional and hasn’t refused to do the job for anyone that I am aware of. While Muta remains a mystery on th outside of the ring, there is no doubt he is one of wrestling’s greatest in-ring performers ever. He’s also managed to become a superstar on two continents without ever working for the WWE, while he has had multiple runs in the NWA, WCW, and even in Impact Wrestling, the WWE has never been interested seemingly in bringing him in for even one match, that is an indictment on them, not Muta. What is next for Muta? Who knows, maybe he will get one match in the WWE, not that he needs it. Maybe he’ll have a brief stint in Impact Wrestling or Ring of Honor, wherever Muta goes he will bring his aura and credibility with him and that promotion will be better off for having him.
ESSENTIAL MUTA:
Great Muta vs. Hiroshi Hase (The Muta Scale)
Great Muta vs. Sting (11-22-92)
Great Muta vs. Hulk Hogan (5-3-93)
Great Muta vs. Great Kabuki (6-15-93)
Great Muta & Hulk Hogan vs. Hawk & Kensuke Sasaki (9-23-93)
Great Muta vs. Masahiro Chono (9-23-94)
Keiji Mutoh & Hiroshi Hase vs. The Steiner Brothers (1-4-95)
Great Muta vs. Jinsei Shinzaki (4-29-96)
Great Muta vs. Jushin Liger (10-20-96)
Great Muta vs. Masahiro Chono (4-7-00)
Keiji Mutoh vs. Genichiro Tenryu (6-8-01)