A wrestling legend will be calling it a career.
At CyberFight Festival 2022, Keiji Mutoh (The Great Muta) announced that he will have five more matches and then retire next spring.
Mutoh had been sidelined since January with a hip injury, but returned to the ring in May. Mutoh stated that the doctor told him if his hip becomes deformed, he will need a hip replacement and there is no way he can wrestle with that. He said that it was the doctor's decision to have him retire and it's not his personal choice.
Keiji Mutoh has announced his retirement. He is aiming for next spring. pic.twitter.com/huwqw5iCxQ
— Pro-Wrestling Noah Eng (Hisame, 冰雨\) (@Hi5ame) June 12, 2022
Mutoh, 59, made his debut in 1984 for New Japan Pro-Wrestling. In 1986, he traveled to the United States to work for the NWA and wrestling for WCW throughout the late 80s and into the 90s. Mutoh held championships in all the major Japanese organizations throughout his career, capturing the IWGP Heavyweight Championship on four occasions, the Triple Crown Championship on three occasions, and the GHC Heavyweight Championship.
He is also a former NWA Worlds Heavyweight Champion.
Throughout his career, Mutoh has shared the ring with legends in America and Japan including Sting, Ric Flair, Vader, Masahiro Chono, Genichiro Tenryu, Hiroshi Tanahashi, Kazuchika Okada, and many more.
