The Great Muta Reportedly In Pittsburgh On Eve Of WWE Payback, AEW All Out

WWE may have a potential surprise up their sleeve this weekend, with one inductee from the 2023 Hall of Fame class reportedly in Pittsburgh ahead of the Payback premium live event. With a six-match card and a special edition of "The Grayson Waller Effect" slated for the show at PPG Paints Arena, there are now rumblings that Keiji Muto (aka The Great Muta) has arrived in town after flying in from Japan.

According to a report from PWInsider Elite (subscription required), the 60-year-old arrived in the Steel City on Friday but there are no definitive plans for the Japanese legend. With both major US promotions in WWE and AEW running major shows this weekend, PWInsider noted the timing as "interesting," but were unable to confirm whether Muto will be appearing at either Payback on Saturday night or All Out in Chicago, Illinois, on Sunday. Chicago, it should be noted, is more than 400 miles from Pittsburgh.

Despite never competing inside the ring for WWE, Muto was inducted into this year's Hall of Fame class by Ric Flair, less than two months after retiring from in-ring competition following a storied 40-year career which included championship runs in NJPW, AJPW, and WCW. Muto wrestled his final two matches on a farewell event on February 21 promoted by Pro Wrestling NOAH, losing to both Tetsuya Naito and long-time rival Masahiro Chono.