The Great Muta

Muta debuted in World Championship Wrestling on the March 18, 1989 edition of *Saturday Night*. His manager Gary Hart introduced him as the son of the Great Kabuki, whom Gary Hart also had managed years earlier. He defeated Cougar Jay in his debut match. Muta would feud with stars like Lex Luger, Ric Flair, and Sting, from whom he would capture the WCW World Television Championship on September 3, 1989. Muta eventually lost the championship to Arn Anderson on January 2, 1990, which aired on the January 12, 1990 edition of *Power Hour*, and some time after the *Clash of the Champions X* on February 6, Muta would leave WCW.

It was announced on *Clash of the Champions XIII* that The Great Muta would be returning to WCW at Starrcade '90 to team with Mr. Saito. Less than a month later, Muta teamed with Saito in the Pat O'Connor Memorial Tag Team Tournament at Starrcade. The duo defeated The New Zealand Militia in the quarterfinals, then Victor Zangiev and Salmon Hasimikov (representing the USSR) in the semi-finals. Muta and Saito were defeated by then-United States Tag Team Champions The Steiner Brothers in the finals.

Muta continued to make sporadic appearances within WCW during 1991. He was shown in attendance at WrestleWar '91, and then defeated old rival Sting at the WCW Japan Supershow event on March 21, 1991, in Tokyo, Japan. Muta was entered into a match with United States Heavyweight Champion Lex Luger to determine the number one contender for the WCW World Heavyweight Championship. On June 12 at *Clash of the Champions XV*, Muta was pinned by Luger to earn the right to challenge Ric Flair at The Great American Bash '91. He went on to wrestle several house shows that month before leaving once again.

In May 1992, he returned again to WCW and began appearing on house shows in tag team matches with Nikita Koloff against Big Van Vader and Rick Rude. He returned to television on the May 30 episode of *WCW Saturday Night*, defeating Brad Armstrong in a best of three contest. On June 7, Muta was pinned by Scott Steiner at a house show in Atlanta, Georgia. He finished out his short run facing Larry Zbyszko on successive house shows. On December 25, he returned to WCW to begin another short stint, losing to Sting in a non-title match in Jacksonville, Florida. He wrestled Sting again on the house show circuit, as well as Steve Austin. On December 28, he made his fourth Starrcade appearance, teaming with Barry Windham to defeat Brian Pillman and 2 Cold Scorpio. Later that night, Muta eliminated Windham to win the Starrcade '92 BattleBowl.

On April 17, 1994, Muta returned to WCW to face Stunning Steve Austin at Spring Stampede for the WCW United States Championship. Austin defeated him by disqualification. This would be his last appearance for nearly a year, and he would not return until February 19, 1995, when he was shown in the crowd at SuperBrawl IV. He returned to WCW on May 21, 1995, to defeat Paul Orndorff at Slamboree '95.

Muta once again returned to WCW in mid-2000 to team with Vampiro. He returned to television on the July 11, 2000 episode of *WCW Thunder* and teamed with The Jung Dragons against 3 Count and Tank Abbott. A week later, he appeared on *Nitro*, defeating Vampiro in the quarterfinals of the United States Heavyweight Championship tournament. Later that night, he was pinned by Mike Awesome in the semifinals. He won the WCW World Tag Team Championship with Vampiro at New Blood Rising against KroniK. They lost it the next night on *Nitro* against the team of Rey Mysterio and Juventud Guerrera. His last WCW match came at a house show on September 23, 2000, in Lubbock, Texas, against Sting.

On March 15, 2023, The Great Muta was announced as the second individual inductee for the WWE Hall of Fame class of 2023. At the ceremony, Muta was inducted by Ric Flair.