10 Things You Didn't Know About The Great Muta

6. His Influence Over The American Landscape Was Vast

The Great Muta G1 Supercard
WWE

Though he wasn't the first pro wrestler to alternate between regular and gimmicked or supernatural personas, the Great Muta was certainly the most famous - and, as so often happens in the sport, many others followed the path he paved.

Adopting the Great Muta gimmick when certain rivalries warranted it, this artistic choice allowed Mutoh to preserve his knees. Where as Mutoh, he wrestled an intense style that has caught up with him, badly, he was allowed to indulge in stalling and theatrics under the paint.

Incidentally, the reception to that character across either side of the pacific is fascinating; North American fans consider Muta an influential workrate phenomenon, whereas in Japan, Muta's matches are considered a major step down from his best. The character is still revered, but fans know what they're getting - or rather not getting - when he puts on the gimmick.

Mick Foley's Three Faces, Bray Wyatt's various attempts to disassociate fans from his first disaster of a run, Corporate and Demon Kane, Finn Bálor and the Demon King, Chris Jericho and the Painmaker: all have studied under Mutoh and his ability to prolong his career.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!