Shinsuke Nakamura has commented on being able to wrestle The Great Muta (Keiji Muto) in a singles match at NOAH’s The New Year 2023 event on January 1 at Budokan Hall.
Nakamura has not wrestled for the NOAH in nine years. Tokyo Sports provided additional details on how this idea became a reality.
Per the report, NOAH had Nakamura listed as someone they wanted to bring in immediately after Muto made the decision to go on this retirement tour. Initially, the discussions between NOAH and WWE didn’t lead to terms being reached, but NOAH continued to talk with WWE after Vince McMahon resigned as Chairman and CEO until an agreement was reached on October 26th.
Nakamura told Tokyo Sports that people in WWE were behind him and joked that this is the forbidden door.
“There were people in WWE who pushed me forward. It’s nothing short of a miracle. Of course, I wanted to do it. It was an area that no one had ever stepped into, or rather, I opened a door that no one had been able to pry open. Ha ha ha… It’s a real ‘Forbidden Door.’”
Mutoh’s final match under The Great Muta persona will happen on January 22, 2023 at The Great Muta Final Bye-Bye event in Yokohama, where he will team with AEW’s Sting.
