WWE star Shinsuke Nakamura will face The Great Muta on January 1 in one of the legend’s final matches.
Although Nakamura is currently signed to WWE as part of the SmackDown brand, he was given permission by Triple H to compete in this bout.
The King of Strong Style recently sat down with Pro Wrestling NOAH to discuss his upcoming match with Muta and how much of a miracle it was that this match is even taking place.
“[It] is a miracle to me. It’s a match that miraculously took place. In the midst of challenging times, this miracle happened,” Shinsuke Nakamura said. “It was a surprise to me. Unbelievable, was my honest reaction, that it actually came to [fruition]. I’ve been watching him since before I became a wrestler. He was an idol to me, but as a became a wrestler, I didn’t think like that anymore. Different from Keijo Muto, another personality of him. He has his own world and rhythm.”
It’s been a long time since Shinsuke Nakamura has been able to perform in front of a Japanese audience. When asked how he would like to perform in this match, Nakamura admitted he’d like to go all out, but since it’s his first and last match with The Great Muta, he just wants to enjoy it.
“If I can, I’d like to go all out, but it’s The Great Muta,” Shinsuke Nakamura admitted. “He’s different from the others. Since it’s going to be my first and last match with Muta, I really want to enjoy the match all the way.”
When asked about how the match against The Great Muta came together, Nakamura revealed that it was Muta who selected him to be one of his last opponents before retiring in early 2023.
“It’s really an impossible situation to occur. Everything is special. This year, many people had passed away or retired. In the midst of changing times, this match miraculously took place,” Shinsuke Nakamura said. “Versus Great Muta is surely a special match in every way. Of course, I take it special, and it’s the Great Muta that I’m having a match with. It may not be the last match of his career. But it’s great pleasure that he chose me as one of his last opponents. ‘Special’ is not enough for this match, but it is a miracle in the diversion of the generation.”
More must-reads: