Keiji Mutoh announces retirement

[Chris]

source: f4wonline.com

Keiji Mutoh announced his retirement today at Cyberfest Festival 2022.

Mutoh, 59, came to the ring today at the NOAH, DDT, and Tokyo Joshi Pro joint event CyberFest Festival and announced that he will retire next spring. He said that he will have five more matches before his retirement.

Mutoh recently returned to action in Pro Wrestling NOAH back in May after recovering from a left hip injury. He, Naomichi Marufuji, and Satoshi Kojima faced Go Shiozaki, Kaito Kiyomiya, and Masato Tanaka in a losing effort.

Beginning his career in 1984 in New Japan Pro Wrestling, Mutoh quickly became a star both in Japan and in the United States. In the US, he wrestled in World Championship Wrestling under his alter ego, The Great Muta, in the late eighties and early nineties. Throughout his career in NJPW, he held the IWGP Heavyweight title on four occasions.

In 2002, Mutoh jumped to All Japan Pro Wrestling, where he held the Triple Crown title three times. He eventually became the president of the company before departing in 2013, forming a new company called Wrestle-1. When that folded in 2020, he went to Pro Wrestling NOAH, where he won the GHC Heavyweight Championship in 2021, eventually losing the title to Marufuji at last year’s CyberfFght Festival.

 

[Hoss]

Hopefully one of his last five matches is against Stinger

 

[Kairi HoHo]

 

[Comrade Khan]

Hopefully one of his last five matches is against Stinger

in my njpw juicyverse BTB, thats certainly one matchup i have eventually penciled in . great minds ig!

 

[Grimoire Lenin]

What a legend, and once his five matches are up, I don't see how anyone won't be able to say that for all Muta has done, he isn't a top 10 all-time Japanese wrestler, right?

 

[Comrade Khan]

What a legend, and once his five matches are up, I don't see how anyone won't be able to say that for all Muta has done, he isn't a top 10 all-time Japanese wrestler, right?

100%

 

[Deezy]

Ric Flair retirement tbh.

 

[Swerve]

He had a Hell of a run!

 

[Chris]

Source: f4wonline.com

Dates have been announced for four of Keiji Mutoh’s last five matches.

NOAH announced that Mutoh will be taking part in matches in July, September, October, and January. The January date is known as “Great Muta Final ‘Bye Bye’”, which will be Mutoh’s last match under his Great Muta persona.

The dates are as follows:

• July 16, 2022 at Budokan Hall. Kaito Kiyomiya has already been announced as his opponent.
• September 25, 2022 at Aichi Prefectural Gymnasium
• October 30, 2022 at Ariake Arena in Tokyo
• January 22, 2023 at Yokohama Arena (Great Muta Final ‘Bye Bye’)

The final date, Mutoh’s fifth and final match, has yet to be announced. The show will be titled "Pro Wrestling Last Love - Hold Out".

Mutoh announced earlier this month at CyberFest Festival 2022 that he would be retiring, and his final match will take place next spring. He had only returned to action in May after being out for the first part of 2022 due to hip issues.

Beginning his career in 1984, Mutoh is remembered for his runs in New Japan Pro Wrestling, where he began his career, and All Japan Pro Wrestling. In 2021, he joined Pro Wrestling NOAH, where he held the GHC Heavyweight Championship last year before losing it to Naomichi Marufuji.

 

[Swerve]

He sounds like a glory hog now.

 

[WrestleRacer91]

This is sad to hear but it's been a long time coming.

 

[FatBagzJones]

Pro Wrestling NOAH will return to the Tokyo Dome after 18 years to hold "KEIJI MUTO GRAND FINAL PRO-WRESTLING 'LAST' LOVE～HOLD OUT～" on February 21, 2023

 

[FatBagzJones]

I think NOAH bite more than you can chew. Yeah i get that Muto is legend, but they can't sell out Dome by themselves, I don't think that your business is that hot right now ( maybe they can have somewhat successful show, if they will be collaborating with other promotions and having their top talent). Liger did his retirement show in Dome in 2020 that was great, but that was before Covid, plus he was in the mid car, midcard and main event. And in NOAHs case I think they will put Muto on last.