As noted, WWE’s Shinsuke Nakamura will return to Japan to face The Great Muta at Pro Wrestling NOAH’s The New Year 2023 event on Sunday, January 1 from Budokan Hall in Tokyo, Japan.
Nakamura recently spoke with Tokyo Sports and talked about WWE letting him work the NOAH match with the legendary Muta. Nakamura revealed how he received permission from the new regime.
“After a disagreement at first, he persisted in negotiating with a new regime after Chairman and CEO Vince McMahon retired in July. The final agreement was reached on the 26th of this month, and it seems that the tenacity has paid off,” a translation of the article reads.
Nakamura noted that the match with Muta is something he worked hard to make happen, calling it a real “Forbidden Door,” and a miracle.
“It’s nothing but a miracle. Of course, I wanted to do it. I opened a door that no one could break in. Hahaha…it’s a real ‘Forbidden Door,'” he said. Nakamura continued, “I think it’s really fate, and I worked hard to make it happen. I’ve fought Keiji Muto twice in the past, but this was my first encounter with Great Muta, the first and last. I definitely think that I am in the midst of the miracle of the times.”
Keiji Muto’s final match as The Great Muta will take place on Sunday, January 22 at NOAH’s The Great Muta Final Bye-Bye Show in Yokohama, Japan. Muta will team with AEW’s Sting that night. The retirement tour will conclude with Muta’s final match on Tuesday, February 21 from the Tokyo Dome.
Muto, under his real name and not The Great Muta, defeated Nakamura for the IWGP Heavyweight Title in April 2008, then Muto retained the title over Nakamura later that October. They have also worked two tag team matches together with Nakamura’s team getting the win each time.
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