With the news of the Great Muta’s daughter, The Great Sakuya’s debut in NOAH, there have been lots of queries surrounding the new wrestling diva.
Fans wonder if Sakuya is the real daughter of the three-time Triple Crown Heavyweight Champion.
However, she is the wrestling storyline daughter of the former wrestler who carried the torch of his legacy.
A Japanese-born former wrestler, Keiji Muto (b. December 23, 1962) competed in wrestling for nearly four decades until his retirement on February 21, 2023.
Throughout his career, Muto (ring name: ‘The Great Muta’) performed for promotions like WCW, New Japan Pro-Wrestling, and TNA (now Impact Wrestling).
His 32 championship titles include nine-time NWA World Champion, four-time IWGP Heavyweight Champion, and one-time GHC Heavyweight Champion.
The 2023 WWE Hall of Fame is the founder of W-1, a wrestling promotion. Aside from his wrestling career, he is also the owner of a restaurant Yakiniku Dining 610.
Famous for his green mist and high-flying techniques, his name is embedded with world-famous wrestling elites like Hulk Hogan, Stone Cold, Dwayne Johnson, The Undertaker, and many more.
Great Muta Daughter: Who Is The Great Sakuya? Wikipedia And Age
The Great Sakuya is the daughter of Keiji’s gimmick ‘The Great Muta’ for the storyline of Pro Wrestling NOAH. To be clear, they are not real-life father and daughter.
She is a female wrestler who went by the ring name Riko Kawahata in the Marvelous That’s Women Pro Wrestling. Born on July 28, 1999, in Tokyo, Japan, her age is 25 as of 2024.
Now, in the gimmick of Great Sakuya, Kawhata made her wrestling debut in 2018 and has the Moonsault Press as her signature move. She has a height of 5 feet 3 inches & weighs 121 lbs (55 Kg).
Also, unlike her NOAH storyline father, she does not have a Wikipedia.
So, how did she become “The Great Sakuya”?
After Muto’s retirement from wrestling in February 2023, he made occasional appearances in NOAH. To carry the legacy of his ring persona resulted in the introduction of his gimmick’s daughter, The Great Sakuya.
On November 13, 2023, he re-emerged in NOAH with a storyline on how Sakuya became his daughter.
The poison green mist innovator found a baby on a mountainside, whom he misted before feeding the infant mist from a bottle.
In a follow-up video, on November 27, 2023, the Japanese wrestling legend is seen with a young woman, suggesting that the baby he found aged rapidly.
The Great Muta then poisoned the girl with a drink and placed one of his entrance masks, which resurrected her. He then gives her the title of Sakuya.
The Great Sakuya Made Her Debut In NOAH
On November 27, 2023, during an edition of NOAH Monday Magic, Sakuya was at the match of Nagisa Nozaki vs. Miyuki Takase. She then misted Takase and shook hands with Nozaki, foretelling their partnership for a tag team match.
On January 2, 2024, she teamed up with Nozaki in her debut match in a tag team event NOAH The New Year 2024 against Haruka Umesaki and Miyuki Takase.
However, the match ended with disqualification after the Great Sakuya hurled a chair into the ref. She showcased Muta’s patented moonsault, and the ensuing beatdown left blood all over the ring.
Who Is Great Muta’s Real Daughter?
Outside the ring, Keiji Muto aka The Great Muta, is a loveable father of two kids with his wife, Hisae Ashida. The couple married in 1992 and share a son (name undisclosed), born in 1996, and a daughter, Ari (b. 2000).
Muto’s real daughter, Ari, is a singer-songwriter and actress. She goes by the stage name Mua and often wears a half mask that resembles that of The Great Muta while performing.
Even if she didn’t pursue a wrestling career following her dad’s footsteps, she is an avid fan of her father. In 2014, she made a one-off 2014 appearance for Wrestle-1.
Ari goes by the Instagram handle @i_am_muuuua, where she shares pictures of her music ventures and her family. Her YouTube channel @Muuuua has over 1.61K subscribers and has released more than 30 original songs.
In February 2023, after her dad retired from wrestling, she spoke to Pro Wrestling NOAH about her father pushing him beyond his limits.
With his farewell to pro wrestling, she expressed relief while also admiration for his commitment and endurance.
