
Wrestler:	The Great Muta
Real Name:	Keiji Mutoh
Birthday:	December 23, 1962
Hometown:	Yamanishi, Japan
Marital Status:
Height & Weight:	6'0" - 253lbs
Trained by:	Hiro Matsuda New Japan Wrestling Academy
Debut:	October 5, 1984
Previous Gimmicks:	White Ninja (NPJW) Black Ninja (WWC) Super Ninja (WWC & FL) The Great Muta (NJPW, WCW)
Finishing Move:	Dragon Screw Legwhip The Shining Wizard
Favorite Moves:	Spewing Green Mist Figure-4 Leglock Crazy Elbow Drop Handspring Back Elbow Smash The Moonsault
Notable Feuds:	Carlos Colon Bruiser Brody Abdullah The Butcher Barry Windham Sting Ric Flair Arn Anderson Hiroshi Hase Shinya Hashimoto
The Great Muta Links:	Great Muta Career Profile

IWGP (New Japan) World Tag Team titles w/Shiro Koshinaka;

WWC Puerto Rican title;

WWC Television title;

Florida Heavyweight title;

NWA World Television title defeating Sting (September 3, 1989);

IWGP World Tag Team titles w/Masahiro Chono defeating Masa Saito & Shinya Hashimoto (April 27, 1990);

IWGP World Tag Team titles w/Hiroshi Hase defeating Rick Steiner & Scott Norton;

IWGP World Heavyweight title defeating Riki Choshu (January 4, 1992);

NWA World Heavyweight title defeating Masahiro Chono (January 4, 1993);

IWGP World Tag Team titles w/Hiroshi Hase defeating Hawk & Kensuki Sasaki (November 11, 1994);

IWGP World Heavyweight title defeating Shinya Hashimoto (May 3, 1995);

UWIF World Heavyweight title defeating Nobuhiko Takada (May of 95);

IWGP World Tag Team titles w/Masahiro Chono defeating Kensuke Sasaki & Kazuo Yamazaki ();

IWGP World Heavyweight title defeating Scott Norton (January 4, 1999);

WCW World Tag Team titles defeating KroniK (August 13, 2000);

New Japan Pro-Wrestling

Keiji Mutoh’s first stint in New Japan wasn’t very successful, often teaming with Masahiro Chono & Shiro Koshinaka..

Keiji Mutoh & Shiro Koshinaka were able to capture the IWGP (New Japan) World Tag Team titles..

World Wrestling Council

Keiji Mutoh soon emerged in Puerto Rico in the WWC, where he wrestled as "Super Ninja"..

Super Ninja would win the WWC Puerto Rican title as well as the WWC Television Title..

Super Ninja engaged in bloody feuds with sadistic men like Carlos Colon, Abdullah the Butcher, Bruiser Brody and TNT..

Florida

Super Ninja had a brief run in Florida, where he won the Florida Heavyweight title..

Super Ninja was managed by Sir Oliver Humperdink and teamed with the Great Kabuki as the Rising Suns..

National Wrestling Alliance

Keiji Mutoh soon caught the eye of then NWA president, Jim Crockett..

Keiji Mutoh signed with Jim Crockett's National Wrestling Alliance and was transformed into the "Great Muta"!

The Great Muta wore face paint and spewed green mist into the air before his matches, a technique used by Tajiri years later..

The Great Muta formed a tag team with Dragon Master (Kendo Nagasaki) and were managed by Gary Hart..

The Great Muta began to feud with NWA Television champion, Sting, a feud that would go on for the next 10 years..

July 23, 1989 - Great American Bash: Sting vs The Great Muta ended in a NO CONTEST when there was a double pin finish..

~~~Great Muta defeated Sting in the rematch to win the held up NWA Television title!

October 29, 1989 - Halloween Havoc: Sting & Ric Flair defeated Terry Funk & Great Muta in a thrilling cage match..

~~~The Great Muta blamed Terry Funk for the loss and violently attacked him! Ric Flair & Sting made the save..

Starrcade 1989: The Great Muta lost matches to Ric Flair, Sting & Lex Luger (DQ) in the Iron Man tournament..

January 20, 1990: Arn Anderson defeated The Great Muta for the NWA World Television title..

The Great Muta left the NWA shortly thereafter..

Return to New Japan

The Great Muta returned to his homeland, ready to conquer Japan just as he did America..

April 27, 1990: The Great Muta & Masa Chono defeated Masa Saito & Shinya Hashimoto to win the IWGP World Tag Team titles.

November 1990: Hiroshi Hase & Kensuke Sasaki beat The Great Muta & Masa Chono for the IWGP Tag Team titles..

The Great Muta engaged in a bloody feud with Hiroshi Hase, but the two ended up Tag Team partners in the end..

The Great Muta & Hiroshi Hase defeated Rick Steiner & Scott Norton for the IWGP Tag Team titles..

January 4, 1992: The Great Muta defeated Riki Choshu to become the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion..

The Great Muta & Hiroshi Hase were defeated by Big Van Vader & Bam Bam Bigelow for the IWGP Tag Team titles..

New Japan/WCW Relationship

The Great Muta & Sting reignited their feud, but soon found themselves teaming up against the Steiner Brothers in tag team matches..

January 4, 1993 - WCW/NJPW Super Show III: The Great Muta defeated Masahiro Chono to unify the IWGP and NWA World Titles..

~~~The Great Muta becomes first person to ever hold Japan & America's top championships at the same time..

Super Brawl III: Barry Windham defeated The Great Muta for the NWA World Heavyweight title..

September 1993: Shinya Hashimoto defeated The Great Muta for the IWGP World Heavyweight title..

November 11, 1994: The Great Muta & Hiroshi Hase beat the Hell Raisers (Hawk & Kensuke Sasaki) to become IWGP Tag Team champions..

May 3, 1995: The Great Muta defeated Shinya Hashimoto to win his second IWGP World Heavyweight title..

The Great Muta & Hiroshi Hase vacated the IWGP Tag Title belts so Muta could concentrate on defending his newly won World title..

May 1995: The Great Muta defeated Nobuhiko Takada to unify the IWGP and UWIF World titles..

January 4, 1996: Nobuhiko Takada defeated The Great Muta to win the Unified World titles..

The Great Muta then took time off due to a knee injury..

new World order Japan

The Great Muta returned and joined Masahiro Chono, who had formed the Japanese version of the nWo..

The Great Muta & Masahiro Chono defeated Kensuke Sasaki & Kazuo Yamazaki to win the IWGP World Tag Team titles..

May 7, 1998: The Great Muta & Masahiro Chono vacated the tag team titles when Muta had to undergo knee surgury..

New Japan Pro Wrestling

January 4, 1999: The Great Muta defeated Scott Norton to capture the IWGP World title..

December 1999: The Great Muta held the title for almost a year before being upset by Genichiro Tenryo..

World Championship Wrestling

2000: The Great Muta came back to America for another stint in World Championship Wrestling..

July 14, 2000 - Thunder: Tank Abbott & Three Count defeated Jung Dragons & The Great Muta..

July 18, 2000 - Nitro: The Great Muta pinned Vampiro in a United States title tournament match..

~~~The Great Muta was beaten by Mike Awesome later in the night in the second round..

July 21, 2000 - Thunder: Tank Abbott defeated The Great Muta..

July 24, 2000 - Nitro: Vampiro vs The Great Muta fought to a No Contest..

The Great Muta then joined Vampiro & Insane Clown Posse in a faction known as Dark Carnival..

July 26, 2000 - Thunder: The Great Muta & Vampiro defeated Sean O'Haire & Mark Jindrak..

July 31, 2000 - Nitro: KroniK defeated Sean O'Haire/Mark Jindrak and Great Muta/Vampiro in a triple threat match..

August 2, 2000 - Thunder: Sting, Booker T & KroniK beat Vampiro, Demon, Great Muta & Jeff Jarrett in an elimination match..

August 7, 2000 - Nitro: Vampiro/Great Muta/The Demon defeated The Jung Dragons..

August 9, 2000 - Thunder: Ernest Miller & Sting defeated The Great Muta & Vampiro..

August 13, 2000 - New Blood Rising: The Great Muta & Vampiro defeated KroniK to win the World Tag Team titles..

August 14, 2000 - Nitro: Rey Mysterio & Juventud Guerrera defeated Great Muta & Vampiro after a 24hr reign as champions..

~~~Later that night Sting defeated Vampiro, The Great Muta & The Demon in a four corners match..

August 16, 2000 - Thunder: The Great Muta pinned The Demon..

August 23, 2000 - Thunder: The Great Muta/Vampiro/Insane Clown Posse defeated Tank Abbott & Three Count..

The Great Muta once again reignited his feud with Sting, but failed to recapture the magic the two shared in their earlier encounters..

August 28, 2000 - Nitro: The Great Muta vs Sting went to a NO CONTEST..

September 4, 2000 - Nitro: Sting defeated Vampiro & The Great Muta in a Wargames Qualifying Handicap Match..

Nitro: The Great Muta defeated Sting..

Fall Brawl 2000: Sting defeated The Great Muta..

The Great Muta packed his bags and returned to Japan..

All Japan Pro Wrestling

The Great Muta jumped ship to All Japan, leaving his "Great Muta" gimmick behind him..

~~~Since NJPW owned the "Great Muta" gimmick, he began using his real name, Keiji Mutoh..

October 19, 2002: Keiji Muto suffered right ligament damage at All Japan show in Niigata and was hospitalized..

~~~He was told to stay out of action for three weeks, which would cause him to miss the 10/27 Budokan Hall show..

October 27, 2002 - AJPW PPV: Keiji Mutoh defeats Gen'ichiro Tenryu to win the Triple Crown championship!

October 2003: Keiji Mutoh is expected to wrestle in the U.S. in 2004, most likely with MLW..

December 27, 2003 - ROH/AJPW Final Battle: The Great Muta & Arashi defeated Christopher Daniels & Danny Maff..

January 04, 2004--New Japan Pro Wrestling: Keiji Muto & Bob Sapp defeated Masahiro Chono & Hiroyoshi Tenzan..

April 20, 2004: Keiji Muto won the Champion Carnival tournament on the All Japan PPV at Tokyo Yoyogi Gym..

July 21, 2004--Hawaiian Championship Wrestling: Sting & The Great Muta beat Diamond Dallas Page & Satoshi Kojima..

May 14, 2005--New Japan Pro Wrestling: Keiji Muto defeated Ron Waterman..

May 29, 2005--AJPW: TARU & Giant Bernard & YASSHI beat Keiji Muto & Kohei Suwama & NOSAWA Rongai..

August 4, 2005--Wrestle-One (debut show): The Great Muta defeated Akebono..

October 2, 2005--WRESTLE-1 GP: The Great Muta defeated Kensuke Sasaki (GP 2nd round)..

December 5, 2005: Team 3-D beat Keiji Muto & Akebono to win the Real World Tag League Tournament in Tokyo's Ota Ward Gym..

November 19, 2005--AJPW: The Great Muta defeated The Great Ruta (TARU)..

November 20, 2005--AJPW: Keiji Muto & Akebono defeated Taiyo Kea & Jamal (Real World Tag League Block A)..

November 23, 2005--AJPW: Keiji Muto & Akebono & Kikutaro beat Kensuke Sasaki & Akira Raijin & Katsuhiko Nakajima

November 26, 2005--AJPW: Keiji Muto & Akebono & AKIRA beat TARU & Giant Bernard & Shuji Kondo ..

November 27, 2005--AJPW: Keiji Muto & Akebono & Ryuji Hijikata beat Satoshi Kojima & Kaz Hayashi & Akira Raijin..

November 28, 2005--AJPW: TARU & Giant Bernard beat Keiji Muto & Akebono (Real World Tag League Block A)..

November 29, 2005--AJPW: Keiji Muto & Akebono beat Kohei Suwama & Akira Raijin (Real World Tag League Block A)..

November 30, 2005--AJPW: Keiji Muto & Akebono defeated Arashi & AKIRA (Real World Tag League Block A)

December 1, 2005--AJPW: Muto/Arashi/Ryuji Hijikata/Akebono beat Kojima/Kensuke Sasaki/Hayashi/Katsuhiko Nakajima

December 3, 2005--AJPW: Keiji Muto & Arashi & Akebono beat Taiyo Kea & Jamal & TAKA Michinoku..

December 5, 2005--AJPW: Team 3-D beat Keiji Muto & Akebono to win the Real World Tag League Tournament!

August 27, 2006--Hiroshi Hase Retirement Show: The Great Muta defeated Yoshihiro Tajiri in a 30-Minute match!

March 11, 2007 - TNA Destination-X: The Great Muta appeared on the Pre-show and on the PPV in a non-wrestling role..

March 30, 2007: Keiji Muto defeated Toshiaki Kawada to win the 2007 Champion Carnival Tournament..

~~~Kawada beat Satoshi Kojima while Muto beat Taiyo Kea to reach the finals held at Korkuen Hall..