Ric Flair praises Great Muta and discusses his looming induction into the WWE Hall of Fame.
On March 15, ESPN reported that former IWGP Heavyweight Champion Great Muta will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as a member of the Class of 2023. WWE previously noted that the announcement was set to be made later in the day on WWE's The Bump.
Speaking on WWE's The Bump, Flair officially announced the news. He noted that they have wrestled each other many times, and he praised Muta as both an athlete and as a person. Flair also stated that he has a personal connection with Muta, as the legend was with his son, Reid, two days before he passed away.
"It is my distinguished honor, and I would like to be the first to announce the induction of the Great Muta into the WWE 2023 Hall of Fame Class. He’s a tremendous guy, a tremendous athlete, a great person, a great man. I’ve wrestled him probably 500 times, and I can’t think of a better guy for the company. Boy, when you’re honored and enshrined in the WWE Hall of Fame, it really makes you a special, special person, and I’m honored to be the one to announce it. On a very personal note, which a lot of people need to know, which I’ll discuss during the induction, my son, who passed away, which will be two weeks, the 29th of March, was with Muta two days before he passed away. So I have a special place in my heart for Muta. I love him beyond wrestling, so I’m very excited to be there to see him and honor him. He’s a phenomenal person," Flair said.
When asked to describe what made Muta special when he stepped in the ring, Flair responded by describing how Muta was one of the most smooth competitors he had ever seen . He compared Muta to Ricky Steamboat and Shawn Michaels, and he also noted that Muta successfully adapted to the American style.
“Well, he was a very handsome young man. He’s got a phenomenal physique. He’s just naturally fluid. Only a couple guys I can think of that are as smooth and as athletic in the ring, all around, guys like Ricky Steamboat and Shawn Michaels, and that’s a great compliment. Muta… came along, and he and [Tatsumi] Fujinami and very few others adapted to the American style, and he just brought it with game every night, never complained. He was a businessman, and he’s just a pleasure to be around. He’s a phenomenal guy," Flair said.
The 2023 WWE Hall of Fame Ceremony will be at the Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, on March 31.
WWE previously announced that Rey Mysterio will be inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame. More information is available here.
Click here to see Sting's comments about Great Muta and the way he transcended wrestling in America.
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