Darby Allin is headed to Japan as Pro Wrestling NOAH announced that the popular AEW star will team with The Great Muta and Sting for Muta’s retirement match.
Opponents for the bout have not been announced. Muta’s retirement match is set to take place on January 22. This will mark Allin’s debut in Japan.
Muta (Keiji Mutoh) is currently on his retirement tour, which will end on February 23, 2023, while January 22 marks his final bout as The Great Muta. WWE star Shinsuke Nakamura will wrestle The Great Muta in a singles match at NOAH’s The New Year 2023 event on January 1 at Budokan Hall.
Muta had his final NJPW match at NJPW x STARDOM Historic X-Over. On the two-hour AEW Rampage: Grand Slam episode, Sting and Allin wrestled Buddy Matthews and Brody King. Muta appeared to help Sting and Allin win the match by misting Matthews. After the match, the two shook hands and hugged.
Sting and Muta go back several decades as they’ve been longtime rivals and tag team partners dating back to the late 80s in WCW and New Japan Pro Wrestling. In 1989, The Great Muta defeated Sting for the WCW Television Title.
At the AEW Full Gear pay-per-view event, Allin and Sting beat Jeff Jarrett and Jay Lethal.
#BREAKING Great Muta will team with @Sting & @DarbyAllin in his RETIREMENT MATCH on 22 January!
Opponents to be announced!
Watch LIVE on @FiteTV & #wrestleUNIVERSE #noah_ghc #AEW @AEW pic.twitter.com/FOz9sd6L4f
— Pro Wrestling NOAH Global (@noahglobal) November 23, 2022