Something amazing happened last month at the Keiji Muto retirement show in the Tokyo Dome, and if you didn’t see it, I’m gonna tell you about it. There will be major spoilers ahead.

So on February 21 living legend Keiji Muto called it a career after 39 incredible years in the business. I’ve talked a lot about his life before and I even made a 26 minute youtube documentary on him so check it out if you’re interested.

His final retirement show featured a mixed New Japan and Pro Wrestling NOAH card where Muto faced Tetsuya Naito in the main event. It was a really good match considering the physical condition Muto was in and included tons of callbacks and references to not only his career but contemporaries of muto’s we lost too soon, like Mitusuharu Misawa and SHinya Hashimoto. It was supposed to be the last match of his career. But it wasn’t.

After Naito left the ring, Muto took the mic and in front of 30,000 fans, challenged Masahiro Chono to one last fight. Chono was ringside for commentary and to the shock of everyone, accepted. Muto then called legendary new japan referee tiger hattori into the ring and with two members of the three musketeers facing each other in the tokyo dome, it was 1995 all over again.

See Chono never got to have a proper retirement. And this was Muto’s way of giving it to him.

The match itself lasted a minute and a half and just isn’t important. It was the moment, the feeling, the nostalgia. It was special.

At Muto’s own show he paid homage and honour to his friend and put him over for the final time. There were tears in the eyes of fans, of Hiroshi Tanahashi and this guy too.

#wwe #wrestling #hearttouching