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NOAH: Muta’s Final Bye-Bye as NOAH showcases its Talent

Boris Roberto Aguilar

The Great Muta retirement tour rolls through the Yokohama Arena in Yokohama Japan as The Great Muta is set to make his final Bye-Bye. The Great Muta teams up with Sting and Darby Allin to take on AKIRA, Hakushi & Naomichi Marufuji. While everyone is looking forward to the main event, Pro Wrestling NOAH is well aware they have the opportunity to showcase their roster and get new eyes on their product. NOAH have put together a who’s who of their talent and put together a very compelling undercard for the huge show. If this is your first time watching a NOAH show, then get ready as it is slightly different than what you might be used to with New Japan Pro Wrestling. Without further ado, let’s get to it!

Kongo (Hajime Ohara & HIROKI) VS Atsushi Kotoge & Seiki Yoshioka

This match was overall short but it was exactly what you would expect from a Jr. Tag Team opener. Both teams started the match with tons if back and forth action but overall the match was a 50/50 affair until the last third of the opener. HOROKI and Ohara were able to get the upperhand and ut Yoshioka from his partner for enough time that allowed HIROKI to hit a Stuka Splash on him for the win.

Winner: Kongo (Hajime Ohara & HIROKI)

Jungle Kyona & Saori Anou VS Maya Yukihi & Natsu Sumire

The match started off with some quick back and forth action between Anou and Sumire. This didn’t last long as Hyona and Maya tagged in and traded punches until Natsu took down Kyona to the floor. Natsu and Maya were able to successfully cut off Kyona from her partner Anou. The beat down lasted until Kyona was able to escape and make the hot tag to her partner Anou who was able to successfully change the momentum of the match as she cleared the ring. Unfortunately, this was a brief change in momentum as Yukihi and Sumire were able to once again get the advantage as they successfully cut Anou from her partner now. Anou tried everything she could but after a series of quick tags and ground and pound offense she was desperate to find that hot tag.

After once again finding a gap in the offense and escaping the clutches of the heel team, Anou was able to tag in her partner Kyona. Kyona was able to clear the ring with a top rope dropkick and running kicks. Kyona then hit a top rope splash for a very close 2-count. The heel team of Yukihi and Sumire retreated and regrouped. They came back into the ring with a plan. Yukihi and Sumire then continued their tag team offense as they hit a double suplex followed by a double Lariat and a sliding lariat from Sumire for good measure on Kyona which lead to a 2-count of their own.

Sumir hit a few DDT’s on Kyona and went for a pin but that was stopped by Anou to keep the match going. All four women were then in the ring. Anou and Yukihi brawled outside which left Kyona and Sumire in the ring. Kyona then hit Sumire with a Lariat and a Jungle Buster for the win!

Winners: Jungle Kyona & Saori Anou

Timothy Thatcher VS Masaaki Mochizuki

Thatcher started the match with his signature brute offense. Thatcher used his famous catch as catch can style to bring Mochizuki to the ground and take an early control of the match. This didn’t last long though as Mochizuki had a plan for this match and it became apparent; take out Thatcher’s legs to slow him down and remove a lot of his strength. This plan worked as Mochizuki worked over Thatcher’s legs.

Anytime Thatcher got back up, Mochizuki had an answer and that was more often than not taking him down and work over his injured legs. Thatcher was able to counter this as he proved why he’s a master of the mat and was able to out-grapple Mochizuki but once again, anytime Thatcher looked to get an advantage of the match, Mochizuki targeted his legs to slow him down. Mochizuki however departed from his game plan and tried to go punch for punch with Thatcher. This proved to be costly as Thatcher caught Mochizuki with a Fujiwara Armbar out of nowhere after he countered a strike. Mochizuki couldn’t do anything but tap out to avoid further injury.

Winner: Timothy Thatcher

Alejandro, Junta Miyawaki & Yasutaka Yano VS Eita, NOSAWA Rongai & Yoshinari Ogawa

This was unfortunately a sloppy match. Eita, Rongai and Ogawa took the early advantage as it was a very typical multi man match where they would isolate whoever was in the ring between Alejandro, Miyawaki, and Yano. Anytime Team Alejandro would make a tag, team Eita would once again cut them off from their corner and beat them down. As the match continued, the heel team focused on ripping the mask off Alejandro which resulted in a disqualification.

Winners: Alejandro, Junta Miyawaki & Yasutaka Yano

After the match NOSAWA grabbed a pair of hair clippers and used them on Miyawaki who resisted as best as he could.

Good Looking Guys (Anthony Greene, Jack Morris & Jake Lee) defeated Daiki Inaba, Masa Kitamiya & Yoshiki Inamura

This was a very fast paced match as everyone was able to pair up and show off for a bit. A lot of the focus was out on Jake Lee as he is still making an impact in NOAH since making his debut on January 1. Jake Lee through Inamura into the corner and all members of Good Looking Guys then got a chance to beat down on Inamura. Inamura found a way to get himself out of the match after he tagged Kitamiya into the match. This didn’t stop the assault of Good Looking Guys though as they continued to dominate the match.

Inaba found his way into the match and gave his team a slight advantage for the first time in the contest after he delivered a Lariat to Morris. Morris looked for an out and tagged Lee into the match. This confrontation of Lee and Inaba is one everyone was waiting for. Inaba with the early advantage as he Suplexed Lee hard to the mat and then followed that up with a series of elbows. Lee was able to come right back though as he kicked Inaba in the stomach then followed that up with a Yakuza kick. This caused pandemonium as all six men were in the ring trying to get the upper hand for their team. Good Looking Guys were able to clear the ring leaving Lee alone with Inamura. Lee was able to knock Inamura out and score the pin for Good Looking Guys.

Winners: Good Looking Guys (Anthony Greene, Jack Morris & Jake Lee)

A video then aired to promote Muto’s final match ever at the Tokyo Dome on February 21, 2023. Each match has fun names attached to them and you can check out the full card at the bottom of this review.

GHC Martial Arts Rules: Kazushi Sakuraba VS Hideki Suzuki

The match started very quickly as both men tried to take their opponent down. Sakuraba went for a guard on Suzuki but this didn’t work. Suziki attemted a hold of his own which Sakuraba dodged as well. Both men ended up back on their feet and we had a both men trying to get the upperhand with palm strikes. Suzuki broke this up as he finally got Sakuraba down after a double-leg takedown. Suzuki now attempted to get a few holds on Sakuraba but to no avail. Sakuraba got back up and went to take down Suzuki which was succesful. Sakuraba was also able to put Suzuki into full guard. From the guard position Sakuraba was looking for an arm bar but Suzuki managed to escape by rolling out.

Both men are back on their feet and they are trying to perform a take down but several attempts of this went unsuccessful for both. Sakuraba broke the stalemate and he followed up a takedown with a Triangle Choke. Suzuki tried several escapes but was able to use his strength by picking up Sakraba and going for a buckle bomb BUT the hold was far too effective as he passed out as he attempted the buckle bomb. The referee called for the match to end as Suzuki was out cold.

Winner: Kazushi Sakuraba

Lucha Libre Rules: AMAKUSA, Ninja Mack & Ultimo Dragon (W/ Sonny Onoo) VS Dante Leon, Kzy & YO-HEY

The match had Lucha Libre rules so that meant that there were no tags. This caused the match to just move at a lightning pace. This match was so much fun and so difficult to take proper notes on. The match was incredibly fast paced as all six men were able to showcase their offense. Ninja Mack is continuing to show how innovative his offense is while Ultimo Dragon showed us he still has it.

At one point in the match, AMAKUSA and Mack dove out to Dante, Kzy, and YO-HEY. It was then Ultimo Dragaon’s turn for his dive but the veteran only teased the jump. As the match kept showing off everyones skills, Sonny Onoo even got in the action as he kicked KZY. KZY tagged in Yo-HEY and he squared off with Ninja Mack. Mack took down YO-HEY and did an absolute crazy dive off the top rope onto him to get the win for his team.

Winners: AMAKUSA, Ninja Mack & Ultimo Dragon

After the match, the winning team of AMAKUSA, Ninja Mack & Ultimo Dragon celebrated together by taking a group shot with Sonny Onoo serving as the photographer on his 1990’s style disposable camera

El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr., Kaito Kiyomiya, Satoshi Kojima & Takashi Sugiura VS Kongo (Katsuhiko Nakajima, Kenoh, Manabu Soya & Masakatsu Funaki)

Kenoh and Kojima started the match as Kongo officially took advantage of the match. Kojima was isolated from his team and all members of Kongo beat down on Kojima. Kojima fought and clawed his way back and was able to tag in Sugiura. Sugiura was now in the ring with Kenoh who both gave their opponent crushing punches. Sugiura was able to get Kenoh to their corner and tagged in Kiyomiya. Kenoh was able to tag out.

It was now Funaki and Kiyomiya in the ring. The punches and quick moves continued tiring both men out. Soya and Wagner Jr were now the legal men in the match and they continue a 50/50 affair. The match went to Kongo’s advantage aftre Soya deluvered a brainbuster on Wager Jr. this caused all members of Kongo to attack their opponents to try and keep control of the match but this lead to madness as a all 8 men were in the ring. After the dust setteld, Wagner Jr. and Soya were the last two left in the ring. Wagner with a take down and he climbed the rope to deliver a Moonsault. Wagner with the pin and the win!

Winners: El Hijo del Dr. Wagner Jr., Kaito Kiyomiya, Satoshi Kojima & Takashi Sugiura

Darby Allin, Great Muta & Sting VS AKIRA, Hakushi & Naomichi Marufuji

Before the match a video tribute aired showing off Great Muta’s career with a highlight to his rivalry and friendship with Sting. All men were given extravagant entrances

Once the formalities and pleasantries were over, the match started. Marufuji and Sting opened the match and Marufiji tried to get the early advantage by chopping Sting down. Sting no sold all the chops and dragged Marufiji to his corner and tagged in Allin. Marufiji got the upperhand this time with chops and took Allin to his corner as he tagged in AKIRA. Allin and Akira were going back and forth until Sting was tagged back into the match for his team and Hakushi for his team. Sting got the advantage as he hit a Lariat on Hakushi. Hakushi rolled out to the apron and stoof up only for Sting to crash him off the apron sending him over the barricade onto an officials table. The match is now all outside as Muta staled Hakushi and beat him down on the outside not allowing him to recover from the huge fall he just took.

Muta choked Hakushi with a camera cable. Muta then grabbed Hakushi’s graveyard marker and broke it with his knee before poking Hakushi in the head with the broken pieces of wood causing him to bleed out. Hakushi tried to distance himself from Muta but Muta stalked his oppnent and eventually rolled him back into the ring. Allin, the legal competitor for his team now begins to bite the open wound on Hakushi’s head and tags in Sting. Sting now sends the bleeding Hakushi all aorund the ring area focusing on the open cut. Sting had enough fun and he tagged in Muta back into the match. Muta locked in an STF on Hakushi. AKIRA had enough and tried to give his opponent a breather as he broke up the submission attmept. Hakushi was finally able to tag out of the match as Marufuji came in.

Allin is once again the legal man for his team after Muta tagged out. Marufuji sned Allin crashing to the corner and kept beating him there so that Allin couldn’t get to his team. Allin was now forced to be a daredevil as he his an impressive dive onto Marufuji. Allin grabbed a chair and sat Marufuji on it. Allin climbed to the top rope and hit a dropkick on the seated Marufuji who by the way was outside of the ring when this happened.

Sting was now legal and kept beating down on Marufuji by delivering several Stinger Splashes. AKIRA came into the match and got a brief reprieve for his team and had Sting in full control until Sting countered a sequence with a Scorpion Deathlock.

Muta tagged back into the match and hit AKIRA with Dragon Screws and a Shining Wizard but this was only goo for a 2-count. Muta looked for a second Shizing Wizard but Akira blocked it and dropped Muta hard to the ring. AKIRA hit a top rope splash and tagged Haskushi back in the match.Hakushi hit a falling Headbutt onto Muta for a 2-count. Allin ran into the ring, skatebaord in hand and smashed it over the head of Hakushi opening up the cut even more. The ring was now full of all 6 guys and they brawled out leaving Hakushi and Muta in the ring.  Hakushi with an incredible visual, let blood from his cut drip into his hand and drank it. Hakushi now with a tight rope walk that didn’t end well as Hakushi fell off too early and Muta hit the Green Mist. Muta hit Hakushi with a Shining Wizard but the match continued as AKIRA and Marufuji made the save only to have Sting and Allin come in for another brawl against their opponents. The ring was cleared yet again leaving only a groggy Hakushi and Muta in the ring alone.

Hakushi was still down and Allin hit a Coffin Drop on him. Muta hit yet another Shining Wizard on the bloody Hakushi to score the pinfall win for his team!

Winners: Darby Allin, Great Muta & Sting

After the match Muta attacked Hakushi’s monk/manager. He grabbed the broken grave marker and once again attacked Hakushi. Muta wiped his hand over the bloody Hakushi and wrote something on the broken marker. Muta was very slow to go up the ramp. Allin and Sting helped him most of the way up until Muta got his solo and spit mist into the air as the spotlight came off one last time on Muta as the focus.

 

Tokyo Dome – Keiji Muto Grand Final Card – February 21, 2023

 

3.5

Great Muta Final Bye-Bye: January 22, 2023

The main event was exactly what you would expect from the six names involved. Pro Wrestling NOAH did a tremendous job of creating a match that worked when you consider the limitations around the ages and bodies of some of the wrestlers in the match. The big match spots were perfectly mixed in with compelling moments and regular in-ring action that made for a fun match. The undercard was a mixed bag of matches but overall it was fun. Overall NOAH produced a good show that is sure to get some eyes on the product. During the show they announced the full card for Muto’s official retirement. The card is stacked for that night as the world of professional wrestling celebrates the life and career of Keiji Muto.

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