Pearl of Wisdom: The Great Influence of The Great Muta

Posted on February 21, 2023 by bdamage1

Brian Damage

There have been countless Japanese wrestlers who have competed on American soil. Of all the wrestlers that have wrestled here in the United States, no one has had the influence and overall success that Keiji ‘The Great Muta’ Mutoh has had. The character of the Great Muta has inspired and influenced wrestlers, promoters and fans throughout the years.

The origin of the Great Muta gimmick was started back in 1988 by Jim Crockett Promotions booker Sandy Scott. Scott wanted to recreate the the Great Kabuki character portrayed by wrestler Akihisa Mera who was very successful in territories like World Class and Georgia. The Great Kabuki was so popular and in demand, he actually used a body double to wrestle in places where he was double booked. Sandy Scott wanted to replicate Kabuki’s success and turned to manager Gary Hart for assistance.

Hart was familiar with a young Japanese wrestler named Keiji Mutoh who was working down in the Florida territory as ‘The Super Black Ninja.’ Hart brought Mutoh up to JCP and reimagined the Great Kabuki character into ‘The Pearl of the Orient’ the Great Mota in 1989. He was originally booked as the son of the Great Kabuki and managed by Hart. Eventually, the name was tweaked to be the better known ‘Great Muta.’

Keiji Mutoh was a sensational talent and the Muta gimmick really got over with fans, despite him used as a heel. He was performing maneuvers that weren’t as common for that era. He had great quickness and agility and could do a flawless moonsault off the top rope. Add to that, the face paint, entrance outfits and the Asian green mist and fans in the NWA were cheering Muta more than booing him. There were discussions to turn Muta into a babyface character and capitalize on his growing popularity, but that never materialized. Mutoh eventually went back to Japan and became an even bigger star in his homeland.

Once Mutoh left the NWA, there was a serious void on their roster. So much so, the bookers attempted and failed to try and recreate the gimmick and according to many try and “pass off” their new incarnation as Muta himself. The one and only attempt was putting a mask on wrestler also known as Ranger Ross…an African American wrestler…name him ‘The Pearl’ and have announcers Jim Ross and Bob Caudle claim the Pearl was from the Orient. Fans didn’t buy it and the Pearl was quickly scrapped.

The Great Muta character was arguably the most imitated character in all of professional wrestling with promotions all over trying to have their own version of him. Including promotions like the WWF, Impact Wrestling and various promotions in Japan including New Japan and FMW.