When Darby Allin and Sting's match against the newly Malakai Black-less House of Black duo of Brody King and Buddy Matthews came to an end, things weren't looking too good for Tony Schiavone's favorite male wrestler.

After being seemingly taken out of the match by a pair of Julia Hart handcuffs, Sting had to watch on in horror as the tag team of King and Matthews double-teamed Allin on the entrance stage. Though Allin attempted to hold his own against two of the baddest dudes AEW has to offer, eventually, the onslaught became too much, as, in an act of desperation, the former TNT Champion flung himself and King off the stage onto a table in the hopes of ending the onslaught.

With his partner a bloody mess on Arthur Ashe's floor, Matthews and Hart turned their attention to Sting, who laughed maniacally with his hands still behind his back. The duo tried to finish the job, with Matthews sitting his foe in a chair in the middle of the ring, but before that could happen, the lights went dark and the crowd went wild.

Was this the long-awaited return of Malakai Black, who hasn't been in AEW since All Out?

Nope, it was actually The Great Muta of WCW fame, who emerged from the back in a very interesting outfit, stripped back his cloak to reveal the blue mask fans have come to know, and meandered down to the ring to shake things up in the best possible way. Matthews moved out of the way so Muta could get in the face of his former WCW enemy, but instead of attacking his long-time foe – whom he wrestled 22 times according to Cagematch for the NWA World Television Championship in WCW – the man who wrestles as Keiji Muto in Japan instead turned on the former Monday Night Disciple and hit him with a brutal Dragon Screw before hitting the Green Mist to set Sting up for the Scorpion Death Drop.

The duo embraced, and now, as Muta plots along on his farewell tour from professional wrestling, fans of AEW and beyond have to wonder if a match between the two legends could be coming soon.

Grand Muta is making the most of his farewell tour with a stop in AEW.

Speaking with Scott Edwards of Fightful in what may be his final English interview before his final retirement match on January 22nd, The Great Muta was asked why he decided to go on a retirement tour, dubbed “Pro Wrestling Love Forever,” before hanging up his boots for good.

“After I made my decision to announce my retirement, I feel that both my mind and body have become lighter,” Muta responded. “I am sure that NOAH, with its current momentum, will be the best for my final match and the path to that stage. I am determined and ready to run through that rail with all of my strength until the end. I hope to share the moment of my final match with as many fans as possible.”

Splitting his time between America and his native Japan over the course of his 38-year professional wrestling career, Muta has wrestled in nearly 3,000 matches for promotions like New Japan Pro Wrestling, All Japan Pro Wrestling, WCW, TNA, Impact, Ring of Honor, Pro Wrestling NOAH, and even made a previous appearance in AEW, where he served as a special judge for the main event match at the first running of Full Gear when Chris Jericho wrestled Cody Rhodes for the AEW World Championship.

Muta originated the Muta Lock, a move used by many of the best female wrestlers in the game today, brought the Green Mist to America that has been used in various colors by the likes of Asuka and Malakai Black, and even originated one of the coolest-named moves in professional wrestling, the Shining Wizard, which has been used by Adam Cole.

And yet, in the end, what Muta wants to define his career are the matches he had against the best in the world.

“I have fought with more wrestlers in the main event than any other wrestler in the world,” Muta told Edwards. “Inoki-san, (Hulk) Hogan, Fujinami-san, (Ric) Flair, Choshu-san, Sting, Tenryu-san, Maeda san. This world is so big, but you can’t find anybody but me who has fought with such great wrestlers. I look forward to sharing the moment, the legacy I have with everyone for the rest of my final road. There is not much time left, but I hope all can enjoy Keiji Muto.”

Oh snap, is one of Muto's final matches going to come against Sting? Is AEW in-line for an incredible match that would make old-school WCW fans smile, or will Sting be heading East back to japan for his first match in the company since 1996? Either way, it's clear the grizzled veteran might just have a few more sticks up his sleeve moving forward.

For more from Edwards' interview with Muto, check out the entire story here.