A Moment In Time: Jushin “Thunder” Liger vs The Great Muta – October 20, 1996

Let’s go back to 1996 for a look at two incredible talents mixing it up in New Japan Pro Wrestling. This match took place at The Kobe World Memorial Hall in Kobe, Japan.

1996 was a difficult but successful year for Jushin “Thunder” Liger. He had successful surgery in August to remove a brain tumor, and announced his comeback to New Japan in October. For Keiji “The Great Muta” Mutoh, 1996 saw him enter the year as IWGP champion and he would subsequently lose that title at what was then called Wrestling World (today known as WrestleKingdom) to Nobuhiko Takada. He continued to compete in New Japan throughout the year, and this match happened as Muta was teaming with Rick Steiner in the Tag League competition.

There are no announcers for the video, it’s just the footage, so let’s watch some wrestling!

You can watch the match right here:

Liger is in his familiar white and red gear, while Muta is in gold and black facepaint. Muta launches some green mist to the sky just after the bell. Muta goes to the floor to menace some fans as the crowd is chanting for Liger. Muta re-enters and goes behind before Liger wrenches his arm in response. Muta goes to the ropes and Liger gives a clean break. Liger grabs an ankle and torques on it before transitioning to a side headlock. They both rise and Liger trucks Muta before dropkicking him out of the ring. Muta takes a moment in the crowd before re-entering. Muta fires off a kick and rakes the eyes to take control. Muta fires off an elbow drop and Liger goes to the floor to recover. Muta gives no room for Liger to return and mashes him into a corner. Liger reverses an irish whip and cannonballs Muta, so Muta bails again before any further damage can be inflicted.

Muta shows his green tongue to the camera before re-entering and Liger resumes control with a snapmare and stomp on Muta’s head. Liger works a rear chinlock and nails Muta with a Saito suplex. Muta no-sells it and wallops Liger with a huge chop. Muta dumps Liger to the floor and follows him out for a piledriver on a ringside table. The ref checks on Liger as the ringside photogs surround the scene. Muta uses a cable to choke Liger before re-entering the ring. Liger struggles back to his feet and Muta tries to prop up the broken table on a ringpost, but it won’t cooperate. A frustrated Muta then yanks the table up and fires it at Liger before re-entering to break the count. Muta goes back out and grabs a ringside stretcher to pound on Liger. Liger tries to fire up with some punches before piledriving Muta to no effect.

Muta boots Liger down again and dumps him to the ramp. Muta hits a rear suplex and then runs up the ramp to gain some distance. Muta charges down and waffles Liger with a lariat before firing him back into the ring. Muta hits another Saito suplex and covers Liger for two. Muta misses a handspring elbow attempt and Liger follows with a Pele kick that staggers Muta. Liger ascends and mashes Muta with a missile dropkick that sends Muta to the floor. Liger follows with a pescado and Muta seemingly disappears. Liger checks under the ring and everyone is confused until Muta re-emerges with a broom. Muta now cannot find Liger so he goes back in the ring briefly before Liger emerges. Muta smashes Liger with the broom and then uses it to choke Liger.

Muta rips at Liger’s mask and basically tears it apart. The referee attempts to help Liger restore his mask as Muta grabs a chair. Muta looks shocked as Liger stands and reveals facepaint under his mask. Liger fires green mist at Muta and we get our first good look at KISHIN LIGER. Liger goes to the floor and finds some scissors. Liger blasts Muta in the head with the scissors and then begins to cut off his own gear. Liger grabs the chair and wallops Muta with it on the floor and then sends him hard into the barricade. Liger continues to brutalize Muta before piledriving him ont he floor. Liger grabs another chair and comes off the top rope onto Muta’s head with it. Liger grabs a ringside table and pushes it into the ring so he can mount it in a corner. Muta rolls back in and Liger runs him into the table. Liger misses a charge and runs right into Muta’s RED MIST.

Muta uses Liger’s weapon on him and then nails him with his handspring back elbow. Muta nails Liger with a bulldog and follows with a moonsault that ends things.

This was more of a physical war than I remembered it being, but Muta was definitely in that kind of mood. The KISHIN LIGER character would stick around for sporadic appearances and Liger even teamed with Muta as the year went on. I think Liger was kind of feeling his way back into ring shape after having his surgery in August, but this was a hell of a spectacle regardless. 3.5*

Winner – The Great Muta (Moonsault)

As I mentioned, the KISHIN LIGER character would make sporadic appearances and would generally indicate that things were about to amp up in violence. Liger officially retired in 2020 and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame that year, while Muta lasted until 2023 in the business and was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame as well. Both had long and storied careers, but this was the only time they ever met in singles competition.

Thanks for reading.