Professional wrestling career Keiji Mutoh

1 professional wrestling career

1.1 career (1984–1987)
1.2 world wrestling council , world class championship wrestling (1988–1989)
1.3 national wrestling alliance (1989–1990)
1.4 new japan pro wrestling (1990–2009, 2012, 2013, 2014)
1.5 japan pro wrestling (2002–2013)
1.6 wrestle-1 (2013–present)

professional wrestling career
early career (1984–1987)

mutoh judo black belt experience in many national competitions prior being trained hiro matsuda in new japan pro wrestling dojo. debuted on october 5, 1984 against masahiro chono. in 1985, mutoh sent on first learning excursion united states. wrestling in florida white ninja , mutoh teamed kendo nagasaki before returning new japan in 1986, nicknamed space lone wolf , space-age type character briefly revived in 2005 nosawa rongai. in march 1987, mutoh won iwgp tag team championship shiro koshinaka, before losing titles akira maeda , nobuhiko takada 6 days later. in summer of 1987, mutoh took part in vs. new feud, in aligned himself antonio inoki , group, teaming likes of inoki, seiji sakaguchi, yoshiaki fujiwara, , kantaro hoshino, , battling likes of tatsumi fujinami, riki choshu, akira maeda, kengo kimura, , super strong machine.

world wrestling council , world class championship wrestling (1988–1989)

in january 1988, mutoh went on excursion, time in puerto rico world wrestling council under new ring name, super black ninja . feuded miguel perez, jr., whom lost hair vs. hair match april. in puerto rico formed 3 musketeers masahiro chono , shinya hashimoto. wrestled 1 match in new japan during period on july 29, before returning puerto rico. in fall of 1988, mutoh moved dallas, texas-based world class championship wrestling, reunited kendo nagasaki , had short lived feud kevin von erich before departing organization in march 1989. mutoh s personality , ring skills shown in american matches earned him high billing within national wrestling alliance.

national wrestling alliance (1989–1990)

mutoh first appeared great muta in nwa on march 18, 1989 edition of wcw saturday night. manager gary hart introduced him son of great kabuki, whom gary hart had managed years earlier. wrestled first match under new persona on april 2 against scott casey. muta feud stars lex luger, ric flair, , sting, whom capture nwa world television championship on september 3, 1989. mutoh lost championship arn anderson on january 2, 1990, aired on january 12, 1990 edition of wcw power hour, , time after clash of champions on february 6, mutoh return new japan, going between real name , muta gimmick pleased.

new japan pro wrestling (1990–2009, 2012, 2013, 2014)

mutoh rose in ranks upon returning new japan in march 1990. great muta persona make njpw debut 6 months later. in april 1990, won second iwgp tag team title masahiro chono, defeating shinya hashimoto , masa saito. , chono hold titles on 6 months, before losing them hiroshi hase , kensuke sasaki. meanwhile in world championship wrestling, announced on clash of champions xiii great muta returning @ starrcade 90 team mr. saito. less month later mutoh teamed saito in pat o connor memorial tag-team tournament @ starrcade. duo defeated new zealand militia in quarterfinals, victor zangiev , salmon hasimikov (representing ussr in semi-finals. muta , saito defeated tag team champions steiner brothers in finals.

muta continued make sporadic appearances within wcw during 1991 while wrestling regularly in new japan. shown in attendance @ wrestlewar 91, , defeated old rival sting @ combined new japan/wcw starrcade event on march 21, 1991 in tokyo, japan. mutoh entered match united states heavyweight champion lex luger determine number 1 contender wcw world heavyweight championship. on june 12 @ clash of champions xv, muta pinned luger earn right challenge ric flair @ great american bash 91. went on wrestle several house shows month before returning japan.

mutoh , chono, along hashimoto, cemented status next generation of new japan, surpassing antonio inoki, tatsumi fujinami, , riki choshu, after finals of first g1 climax tournament on august 11. in epic thirty-minute match, mutoh bested chono and, hashimoto, 3 celebrated in ring, afterwards officially labeled 3 musketeers of new japan pro wrestling. closed out year teaming hiroshi hase defeat rick steiner , scott norton win iwgp tag team championship @ budokan hall.

1992 began mutoh teaming sting first time in new japan, duo defeated steiner brothers on january 4 in tokyo dome. in may returned again wcw , began appearing on house shows in tag-team matches nikita koloff against big van vader , rick rude. returned television on may 30 episode of wcw saturday night, defeating brad armstrong in best of 3 contest. on june 7 muta pinned scott steiner @ house show @ omni in atlanta, ga. finished out short run facing larry zybysko on successive house shows, returned new japan.

mutoh participated in 1992 g1 climax (which doubled nwa world heavyweight championship tournament). in opening round in shizuoka, japan on august 6th defeated barry windham. 4 days later in tokyo pinned steve austin in quarterfinals. on august 11th defeated masahiro chono in semi-finals. chono repeated success in g1 climax (winning nwa world heavyweight championship in process). 4 days later, mutoh, donning muta persona, beat japanese legend riki choshu iwgp heavyweight championship, marking first reign. on november 22, muta defended title against sting in tokyo. on december 14, muta faced hiroshi hase in famous match hase used foreign object beat @ muta s forehead, payback previous encounters, including september 14, 1990 encounter, in muta busted hase open. muta bladed , cut forehead. result of this, muta bled profusely rest of match, , day still bears scars sliced.

on december 25, returned wcw begin short stint, losing sting in non-title match in jacksonville, florida. wrestled sting again on house show circuit, steve austin. on december 28 made fourth successive starrcade appearance, teaming barry windham defeat brian pillman , 2 cold scorpio. later night muta eliminated windham win starrcade 92 battlebowl.

for short time in 1993, after beating chono in title versus title match @ fantastic story in tokyo dome (known in north america wcw/new japan supershow iii), mutoh held both nwa , iwgp championships @ same time (being 1 of 2 men ever along tatsumi fujinami); unification short-lived, barry windham beat him month later nwa world title @ superbrawl iii. iwgp champion, mutoh had variety of challengers in title matches , exhibitions, including hulk hogan, sting, great kabuki, , fellow members of 3 musketeers, chono , hashimoto, before losing title on september 20, 1993 hashimoto. following title loss , match hogan against hellraisers (the team of hawk warrior , kensuke sasaki power warrior), mutoh returned fighting under real name, reviving muta name matches, such special match antonio inoki during retirement countdown. during time, mutoh created team hiroshi hase, working way ranks against likes of steiner brothers challenge hellraisers in november 1994 , capturing iwgp tag team championship—his third tag title.

on april 17, 1994 mutoh returned wcw face stunning steve austin @ spring stampede wcw united states championship. austin defeated him disqualification. last appearance year, , not return until february 19, 1995 when shown in crowd @ superbrawl iv.

while having tag team title around waist fine, mutoh had further ambitions: beating man took title, shinya hashimoto; iwgp champion year. second title reign came on may 3, 1995—a year , 2 days after hashimoto won championship fujinami. after winning iwgp title, mutoh , hase vacated tag team titles mutoh focus on heavyweight title. returned wcw on may 21, 1995 defeat paul orndorff @ slamboree 95.

afterwards, mutoh went on win 1995 g1 climax, beating hashimoto in finals become first of 2 men win g1 iwgp heavyweight champion (kensuke sasaki achieve feat in 2000). mutoh held iwgp title throughout rest of year, leading new japan in opening battles of feud nobuhiko takada , uwf-i army before losing title takada on january 4, 1996 @ tokyo dome. latter half of 1996 had mutoh pitted against chono s ookami gundan—or wolf army, blossomed war chono-led nwo japan. in process, mutoh began teasing @ possible turn side of nwo, proclaiming himself true successor antonio inoki s legacy, , accidentally attacking own partners in middle of match.

during period, mutoh underwent long slump in big matches, losing not members of nwo, fellow new japan wrestlers such hashimoto; , many times turn teased. mutoh wear nwo shirt proclaim days later refuses join chono s army. mutoh further raised confusion playing both sides of feud; fighting member of new japan under real name, , great muta in nwo japan, before being great muta full-time several months in 1997. full turn came in september 1997, when mutoh, after teasing turn on nwo teammates, double-crossed sasaki , kazuo yamazaki, sealing away muta name , formally joining nwo japan himself. following this, , chono dominated tag team scene in njpw, defeating yamazaki , sasaki second iwgp tag title reign duo, , spray-painting plates of belts black show of disrespect championship s legacy.

they forced vacate title in may 1998, when mutoh injured knees, years of using moonsault press catching him. during time, took hiatus action, returning before 1998 g1 climax (from eliminated genichiro tenryu in first round). despite return, mutoh plagued nagging injury, fighting through pain throughout rest of 1998 , of 1999; winning third iwgp heavyweight title 1 of chono s right-hand men, scott norton. towards end of 1998, mutoh took leadership of nwo japan, after chono suffered neck injury , out of action, turning nwo face stable, chono didn t like. mutoh feuded chono name of nwo, evolved war between nwo, led mutoh, hiroyoshi tenzan, , satoshi kojima , chono s new team 2000 unit, himself, don frye, super j, , others old generation of nwo. on december 10, 1999, mutoh lost iwgp championship tenryu. war between chono , mutoh lost mutoh january 2000, brought decisive loss chono on january 4.

mutoh took extended hiatus rehabilitate damaged knees after that, focusing instead on 1 last run in america world championship wrestling alongside vampiro. due bad booking , decline of wcw in last years, however, mutoh not recapture previous popularity had in late 1980s , 1990s. returned television on july 11th, 2000 episode of wcw thunder , teamed jung dragons against 3 count , tank abbott. week later appeared on nitro, defeating vampiro in quarterfinals of united states heavyweight championship tournament. later night pinned mike awesome in semifinals. won wcw world tag-team championship vampiro @ new blood rising against kronik. lost next night on nitro against team of rey mysterio , juventud guerrera. last wcw match came @ house show on september 23, 2000 in lubbock, tx against sting.

after leaving wcw, no-compete clause in wcw contract prevented him competing in world wrestling federation.

mutoh in 2008

after planned tag team match fmw s hayabusa wrestling world 2001 cancelled due hayabusa s career-ending injury, seemed if mutoh reached confusing crossroads in career; however, chose change image, shaving head bald (he had pronounced receding hairline throughout of 2000), growing out goatee, , aligning himself fellow njpw wrestler had gone overseas extended period of time, shinjiro otani. 2 returned new japan on january 4, 2001 @ wrestling world 2001, making short work of manabu nakanishi , jushin thunder liger. in first singles match after returning new japan on march 18, 2001, mutoh debuted new trademark move, shining wizard. since creation, has become extremely popular move on both sides of pacific, used mutoh s allies, rivals, , fans of work. don frye, otani , mutoh created new stable later came known batt (bad ass translate trading). added ranks taiyō kea of japan pro wrestling , jinsei shinzaki of michinoku pro; later added hiroshi hase, member of japan kea. 2001 proved mutoh s year of renewal besides formation of new unit, challenged, , defeated, tenryu japan s coveted triple crown heavyweight championship. in addition, mutoh captured more gold in form of japan s world tag team championship , iwgp tag team championship in summer , fall of 2001, both taiyō kea—giving mutoh total of 6 belts @ 1 time.

on january 4, 2008, @ wrestle kingdom ii in tokyo dome, under muta persona, defeated hirooki goto. on april 27, 2008, mutoh beat shinsuke nakamura win fourth iwgp heavyweight championship, second appearance in 2008 njpw , hadn t held title 8 years , 4 months prior win. mutoh went on defend iwgp championship against manabu nakanishi, togi makabe , goto , @ new japan s destruction 08 show on october 13, defended title against shinsuke nakamura in rematch , retained following frankensteiner.

on january 4, 2009, mutoh put iwgp heavyweight championship on line @ njpw s wrestle kingdom iii in tokyo dome against former student hiroshi tanahashi. mutoh lost match, when tanahashi used signature high fly flow twice pin. after match, mutoh said backstage had passed tanahashi sash after doing best on half year raise worth of title, , suggested withdraw , leave new japan move company forward.

on january 4, 2012, mutoh made return new japan @ wrestle kingdom vi in tokyo dome, defeated tetsuya naito in singles match. year later @ wrestle kingdom 7 in tokyo dome, mutoh teamed shinjiro otani, replacement injured daichi hashimoto, in tag team match, defeated hiroyoshi tenzan , satoshi kojima. mutoh returned new japan again year later @ wrestle kingdom 8 in tokyo dome, working great muta in tag team match, , toru yano defeated suzuki-gun (minoru suzuki , shelton x benjamin). face in match, muta turned on yano towards end of match, green mist accidentally hit suzuki instead, leading yano pinning him win.

all japan pro wrestling (2002–2013)

mutoh great muta in november 2009

on january 11, 2002, following end of year-long cross-promotional angle new japan pro wrestling, keiji mutoh shocked japanese wrestling world defecting all-japan full-time competitor, taking satoshi kojima , kendo kashin him. @ nippon budokan on july 20, mutoh wrestled 3 different characters on card: kokushi muso , defeating kaz hayashi on second match, himself in mid-card, , in second-to-last match, defeated kojima, under great koji persona, great muta. on september 30, during japan 30th anniversary party @ famed tokyo city hotel, mokoto baba officially announced mutoh s appointment new president of japan, transferring of baba family stock him. despite position, however, mutoh has not stopped wrestling full-time japan, , lead supporters in feuds voodoo murders. on december 27, 2003, mutoh made return united states, wrestling ring of honor promotion part of interpromotional japan vs. roh card, hosted series of cross-promotional dream matches. in main event, mutoh reverted great muta persona , teamed arashi defeat prophecy members christopher daniels , dan maff.

he made british debut on january 12, 2007, wrestling real quality wrestling @ york hall in green, london, england, defeated rqw heavyweight champion martin stone in non-title match. mutoh won 2007 champion carnival, competing in block , finishing 6 points total; mutoh defeated toshiaki kawada in finals on march 30, 2007.

in march 2007, while mutoh in orlando, florida, in order establish working agreement between japan , total nonstop action wrestling (tna), made appearance company, under great muta gimmick, @ destination x pay-per-view, in segment christian cage. in february 2009 mutoh featured in multiple interview segments, taped in japan, spoke of student akira raijin, had begun working tna.

on september 29, 2008, wrestling great muta, defeated suwama capture triple crown heavyweight championship, becoming second wrestler, after satoshi kojima, hold triple crown heavyweight championship , iwgp heavyweight championship @ same time.

on march 14, 2009, mutoh defended triple crown heavyweight championship against yoshihiro takayama. bloodied him severely, trademark, , used shining wizard opponent on barricade. during course of match, however, mask ripped off, , bleeding profusely. towards end of match, takayama dominated muta, muta reversed kick dragon screw, , attempted use asian mist against him, takayama blocked it, , performed everest suplex pin on muta, , won match. muta subsequently walked away in shock of had happened.

on january 30, 2010, mutoh, under great muta gimmick, made special appearance pro wrestling guerrilla in los angeles, california, during wrestlereunion 4 weekend, teaming kai in match, defeated team of joey ryan , scott lost.

in april 2010 mutoh went through reconstructive knee surgery keep him out of ring rest of year. mutoh made return on september 10, 2010, when faced masakatsu funaki in special return match.

on june 7, 2011, mutoh announced resignation president of japan pro wrestling. remain in promotion active wrestler , member of supervisory board. mutoh s decision stemmed real-life incident yoshikazu taru assaulted nobukazu hirai backstage @ japan pro wrestling show, led hirai suffering stroke after competing in match. mutoh took blame incident, led japan suspending not taru, kazuhiko masada, masayuki kono , minoru tanaka present when attack took place. after being on midcard , without big feud of 2011, mutoh became main challenger noah s jun akiyama, had won triple crown championship suwama, , after akiyama defended title 2 times (against taiyō kea , takao omori), akiyama challenged mutoh match took place in march 2012, mutoh lost. on june 1, 2012, mutoh returned united states make appearance pro wrestling syndicate (pws) in rahway, new jersey, teaming kai defeat anthony nese , sami callihan in tag team match.

in november 2012, mutoh , business partners sold of japan shares speed partners corporation ¥200 million. on june 1, 2013, speed partners president nobuo shiraishi took on new president of japan, firing previous president, mutoh s longtime right-hand man masayuki uchida, in process, led mutoh resigning promotion, effective june 30, 2013.

wrestle-1 (2013–present)

on july 10, 2013, mutoh announced foundation of promotion named wrestle-1, bringing on many of former wrestlers of japan pro-wrestling left in june. @ promotion s inaugural event on september 8, mutoh teamed bob sapp in main event tag team match, defeated rené duprée , zodiac. during wrestle-1 s second show on september 15, mutoh made first japanese appearance great muta in 2 years, when , tajiri defeated duprée , zodiac in tag team match. on october 18, mutoh announced semi-retirement, saying in future work wrestle-1 s larger events. on march 2, 2014, mutoh put career on line @ kaisen: outbreak, wrestle-1 s first event in ryōgoku kokugikan. mutoh teamed rob terry , debuting taiyō kea in six-man tag team match, defeated masayuki kono, rené duprée , samoa joe, saving career. through wrestle-1 s working relationship tna, mutoh, working under great muta persona, returned american promotion on march 9 @ lockdown, he, sanada , yasu defeated chris sabin, christopher daniels , kazarian in six-man tag team steel cage match. muta returned tna on july 25, 2014, defeating robbie e @ impact wrestling taping in new york city. after match, sanada turned on muta. led match @ wrestle-1 s shōgeki: impact event on july 6, great muta defeated sanada in main event singles match. on september 22, mutoh suffered first direct loss since march 2012, when submitted masayuki kono in four-on-three handicap match, , novus stable (jiro kuroshio, koji doi , rionne fujiwara) faced desperado stable (kono, kazma sakamoto , ryoji sai). on october 12, mutoh, great muta, worked tna s bound glory event in tokyo, teaming tajiri in tag team main event, defeated james storm , great sanada. on november 1, during event celebrating 30th anniversary in professional wrestling, mutoh defeated masayuki kono become second wrestle-1 champion. made first successful title defense on december 22 against seiya sanada. second defense took place on january 30, 2015, when defeated manabu soya. on february 16, mutoh, great muta, returned tna, defeating mr. anderson part of global impact: usa vs world. on march 8, mutoh lost wrestle-1 championship kai in third defense. on march 27, 2017, mutoh announced stepping down president of wrestle-1 kaz hayashi taking on position. mutoh remains promotion representative director.