The legendary Keiji Muto was recently interviewed by Tokyo Sports to hype up his retirement match at the Tokyo Dome in 2023, ending what will be a 40-plus-year career in the industry. Muto would discuss his health, never catching COVID, and how he considers it a great honor to be a pro-wrestler. Highlights from the interview are below.
Says it is an honor that he gets to have a retirement match:
It’s an honor. It’s a great honor to be a wrestler. Shinya Hashimoto, Mitsuharu Misawa and Chono have not had their retirement matches. I am truly blessed. It is easier now that the goal has been set. But I also feel sad. I think, ah, it has finally been decided… At the same time, I also think, I have to finish the race.
How he’s never caught COVID-19:
It’s funny, because I’ve never had Coronavirus. If I were to catch Coronavirus, people would say, what are you going to do? I’ll be very nervous. I would be extremely nervous. So I would have to get my family involved. It’s tough.
How his hops and knees are doing:
Well, things are going well. I think it’s [hip and knee joints] getting better under these circumstances.