that Shinsuke Nakamura (while still under a WWE contract) would be Muto's opponent for the Noah The New Year show on January 1, 2023. At the event, Nakamura defeated Muto, who was wrestling under his Great Muta persona. On January 22, 2023, at The Great Muta Final "Bye-Bye", Muto wrestled his last match under his Great Muta persona, teaming with Sting and Darby Allin to defeat Hakushi, Akira and Naomichi Marufuji. On February 21, Muto wrestled the final full match of his professional wrestling career, losing to Tetsuya Naito at the Keiji Muto Grand Final Pro-Wrestling "Last-Love" event. After the match Muto challenged Masahiro Chono, who was on commentary for the match with Naito and hadn't wrestled a match in 9 years, to an impromptu final match, which Chono won by submission, the opposite result from their common debut nearly 39 years before. Professional wrestling style and persona Muto frequently wrestled under two ring names: the first as Keiji Muto and the second, The Great Muta. Muto innovated the Muta Lock, named after him, and the Shining Wizard. He is also known for using the Figure-four leglock and the Moonsault as finishing moves as well as the Asian mist. Characters The Great Muta is Muto's best-known gimmick, which he has wrestled as often throughout his career, switching back and forth between this alter ego and his real name since March 1989. He was originally billed as the son of Japanese wrestler Great Kabuki (unrelated in real life), who used a similar gimmick, but the connection is rarely mentioned nowadays. Like his father, Great Muta is a mysterious, manifestly supernatural character who distinguishes himself through his macabre looks and magical skills. His appearance is highlighted by his lavish, exotical entrance costumes, which are taken off to reveal a horrifically painted face, later replaced by an organic-looking mask after Muto shaved his head. Muta uses Muto's moveset with little variation (his version of the Shining Wizard is named Senkou Youjutsu ("Flash Magic") instead), though Muta tends to be much more aggressive and weapon-friendly. Muta can also spit green or red mist and plays mind games to distract his opponents. The Great Muta is the gimmick most fans in the United States know Muto for, as he wrestled as The Great Muta throughout the late 1980s and early 1990s for the NWA, and in his later stints in WCW. The gimmick was deeply