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Earandur
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My journalist Column on Keiji Mutoh
« Thread Started on Jul 19, 2005, 1:39pm »

The Living Samurai – Keiji Mutoh

I recollect the night of May 21st, WCW Slamboree 1995, Eric Bischoff and Bobby “the Brain” Heenan’s voices reverberated just adequate to take notice of, over the thunderous voices of the small, but loyal, multitude at the Bayfront Center in St. Petersburg Florida. The Matches lined up were satisfactory with Nasty Boys vs. Harlem Heat, Hogan & Savage vs. Flair & Vader, and some guy named Muta vs. Paul Orndorf. Little did I know, sitting there on my couch, that the flamboyant movements and in ring antics of that guy named Muta would become the cornerstone of my entire wrestling career, as well as my perspective on the entire business ultimately.

Keiji Mutoh was born on December 23rd 1962 in the Yamanashi prefecture, Fuji yoshida City, Japan. Beneath the wing of his mother and father he entered Lower Yoshida Elementary School in April of 1968 and started training in Judo. His expedition to master Judo sustained throughout his school years, until obtaining the rank of Sensei. Although his Judo had always been important to him, it was apparent to not only himself but to everyone around him, that his lessons in Judo were only the first step in an amazing, and seemingly unending journey. He continued to pursue his Judo teachings until being accepted into the New Japan Pro Wrestling Dojo in April of 1984, being taught by Japanese Legend Hiro Matsuda in the New Japan Academy.

His first official professional wrestling match took place only six months later at the Koshigaya City Gymnasium on October 5th 1984, teaming up with Masahiro Chono. Although his first run in NJPW was somewhat unsuccessful, competing primarily in the tag team ranks, He and partner Shiro Koshinaka were victorious in their attempt to win the International Wrestling Grand Prix Tag Team Championships. Mutoh was, needless to say, unhappy that his first pro-wrestling run was so fruitless so he left Japan momentarily and began working for the World Wrestling Council in Puerto Rico under the Super Ninja alias. While there, he feuded with such greats as Carlos Colon and Abdullah the Butcher in some of the bloodiest feuds in wrestling history. his career started looking up shortly afterwards with Victories to obtain both the WWC Puerto Rican Title and the WWC Television Title.

In the Autumn of 1985, Mutoh moved to America to perform for the Championship Wrestling Federation in Florida, where he won the Heavyweight Championship as well as had the opportunity to wrestle with his father The Great Kabuki. While wrestling in the CWF he also formed a short stint in the Texan wrestling organization World Class Championship Wrestling under the moniker Ninja. After his somewhat productive run in the States, he followed his heart and returned home, wrestling under the name Space Lone Wolf in Japan.

Mutoh without more ado caught the eye of then National Wrestling Alliance Promoter Jim Crockett, who, fortunately enough for Mutoh, was looking to expand his horizons in the wrestling world. Mutoh’s flamboyant style and in ring charisma, prompted Crockett to sign him instantly. It was at this time that the world was introduced to Mutoh’s most popular persona, The Great Muta, a face paint wearing, mist spitting mysterious warrior. Introduced on the NWA’s weekly television broadcast by Gary Hart and his teacher Hiro Matsuda, It was viewed as Muta would proceed to pummel a young jobber into submission as a young Jim Ross gave the play by play. After becoming somewhat of a force in the NWA he was fitted quickly with some of the most memorable feuds in NWA History including some with the legendary Sting and the Nature Boy Ric Flair.

In 1989 Muta and Sting’s feud was once again set on fire, as their first major encounter occurred at the Great American Bash on July 23rd. The newly undefeated Muta was facing Sting for the NWA Television Title but was unsuccessful as both wrestlers where counted to the ten. Not too long after, in September, the rematch occurred in which Muta bested Sting to become the TV champion in one of their most classic matches. This feud continued on to Halloween Havoc where Ric Flair and Sting teamed up to defeat Muta and his partner Terry Funk in a Cage Match. Muta was enraged that he lost because of Funk and blatantly attacked Funk afterwards until Flair and Sting came to the rescue of Muta’s now prone partner.

Muta continued defending the TV Title successfully and rode his undefeated streak into the NWA’s biggest event of the year, Starrcade ‘89. The format for Starrcade was an Iron Man Tournament; Ric Flair, Lex Luger, The Great Muta and Sting would all compete against one another in individual matches and the man with the most points at the end of the show would be winner and subsequent number one contender to Flair’s World Heavyweight Title. If Flair won, none of these men would be in line for his next title defense. Hopes were high that Muta would emerge as the number one contender to finally get a shot at Flair, but unfortunately Muta was not at his best that evening. In his first match of the evening, Muta’s year long undefeated streak came to an end as Ric Flair won their match via pinfall. Muta’s long time foe Sting was his next opponent, in which Sting defeated Muta for the first time ever in their heated feud.

Muta’s hopes of winning the tournament were gone, but he had one last shot at redemption. His final match of the tournament was against Lex Luger. As Luger attempted to put Muta into the "Torture Rack" Muta sprayed his mist into Luger’s eyes, getting himself
disqualified. Sting would go on to win the tournament and align himself with Ric Flair, Arn and Ole Anderson, thus reforming the Four Horsemen. Although Muta’s performance in the tournament was disappointing and his undefeated streak was over, he still had his Television Title, but not for long. Arn Anderson challenged and defeated Muta for the Television Title, with a little help from Sting and Ole Anderson, on January 20, 1990. Muta left the NWA shortly thereafter.

Although his tenure with the NWA ended on a bad note, he returned to his homeland a hero, ready to conquer Japan just as he did America. Upon returning to Japan, it didn’t take Mutoh long to capture championship gold again. He and Masahiro Chono defeated the team of Masa Saito and Shinya Hashimoto on April 27th , 1990 to become the IWGP World Tag Team Champions. They would hold the titles for seven months before getting dethroned by Hiroshi Hase and Kensuke Sasaki. After briefly settling their Feud Mutoh and Hase teamed up with one another to win the IWGP Tag Titles from Rick Steiner and Scott Norton, who was subbing for Scott Steiner. During their reign, Mutoh won the biggest match of his career, defeating Riki Choshu on January 4th , 1992 to become the IWGP World Heavyweight Champion. This victory established Mutoh as a singles star around the world but also created a new era for not only Japanese wrestling but wrestling all over the planet.

.Mutoh briefly defended both the IWGP Heavyweight Title and the IWGP Tag Team Titles, but he and Hase eventually ran into the monster team of Big Van Vader and Bam Bam Bigelow, leaving Mutoh to concentrate on his singles title. During his reign, Mutoh wrestled his old rival from the US, Sting on several occasions, reviving their old feud. After a few encounters, they put their differences aside and teamed together against the Steiner Brothers in arguably some of the greatest tag team matches ever. Mutoh would next accomplish a task no other wrestler before or after him had ever been able to do. Mutoh defeated the reigning NWA World Heavyweight Champion, Masahiro Chono, on January 4th , 1993 at the WCW/New Japan Super Show III in Tokyo, Japan to unify the IWGP and NWA World Titles. He now held the two most prominent titles in the world at that time.

Muta would drop the NWA Title to Barry Windham within a month in Ashville, North Carolina at Super Brawl III but he continued defending the IWGP title throughout 1993 until Shinya Hashimoto was able to take the title from him in September of that year. Mutoh would then go over a year before becoming champion again, but the re-formed team of Mutoh and Hiroshi Hase defeated the Hell Raisers, Road Warrior Hawk and Kensuke Sasaki, to become IWGP Tag Team Champions on November 11th, 1994. Their reign lasted half a year until history repeated itself and Mutoh became a two time IWGP World Champion by defeating Shinya Hashimoto on May 3, 1995. 18 days later Mutoh (wrestling as The Great Muta) successfully defended the IWGP Championship against Mr. Wonderful Paul Orndorf in the match that introduced him to me at WCW Slamboree 95.

Intelligently, Mutoh and Hase vacated the Tag Team belts so Mutoh could concentrate on defending his newly won World championship. Mutoh was able to unify the IWGP and UWIF world titles by defeating Nobuhiko Takada in May of 95. Takada eventually got revenge and won the unified titles on January 4, 1996. A knee injury slowed Mutoh down for a while, but upon his return he and Masahiro Chono formed the Japanese version of the N.W.O. and defeated the team of Kensuke Sasaki and Kazuo Yamazaki to once again become the IWGP Tag Team Champions. This marked the second time this duo had captured the tag titles and fifth time for Mutoh. Unfortunately, their seventh month reign ended on May 7, 1998 when Mutoh had to undergo knee surgery. After returning from successful knee surgery, Mutoh captured the IWGP World title once again by defeating Scott Norton on January 4th , 1999. He would hold the title for nearly a year before being upset by Japanese legend Genichiro Tenryu in December.
In 2000 New Japan came up with a way to send Muta back for a brief run in the United States. The angle was that of WCW stealing Muta away from New Japan for six months, WCW realizing Muta’s drawing potential jumped at the opportunity. This would mark Muta’s longest stint in the States since 1989. Muta made an immediate impact upon his arrival in WCW, in which competed in and advanced deep in a tournament to crown a new United States Champion. Muta would soon form a team with WCW star Vampiro and they quickly won the WCW Tag Team Titles from Kronik at New Blood Rising on August 13th , 2000. This was a very significant moment in Muta’s career, as he could now lay claim to holding both the singles and tag team world heavyweight titles in Japan and America.
Rey Mysterio Jr and Juventud Guerra dethroned Muta and Vampiro the following night, thanks to interference by Muta’s long time rival-Sting. Sting and Muta’s rivalry was renewed, but failed to recapture the magic of their earlier encounters. They only met two times with any significance, with Muta getting a win on Nitro, and Sting picking up the victory at Fall Brawl 2000. Soon thereafter, Muta left WCW and returned to Japan yet again. Since returning to Japan Keiji Mutoh left his long time home of New Japan Pro Wrestling and disbanded to All Japan Pro Wrestling, where he took a very high seat on the political side of the business and continued to wrestle, winning the Triple Crown Championship from Genichiro Tenryu. After losing the title he returned to NJPW yet again to wrestle, Ring of Honor and everywhere else.

Whether wrestling under White Ninja, Space Lone Wolf, Keiji Mutoh, Great Muta or Kokushimusuo. No one can dismiss the heart and soul that dwells in, the warrior, the living Samurai Keiji Mutoh, through devastating knee injuries and time to time set backs Mutoh always comes out on top. Ladies and Gentleman making his way to the ring weighing in at 241 pounds at a height of 6 feet 1 inch from Yamanashi, Japan please welcome the Living Samurai, Keiji Mutoh.

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