THE DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH:
NJPW YOUNG LION SHOTA UMINO
By Jasmine Olan
He is the breakout star of what is probably the most competitive class of young lions New Japan Pro Wrestling has seen in a very long time. At just twenty-one years old, Shota Umino hasn’t even left for his learning excursion yet, but is already putting the wrestling world on notice with his talent and undeniable passion The son of NJPW senior referee, “Red Shoes Unno”, he made his debut in 2017 just days before his twentieth birthday and has been capturing the hearts of wrestling fans ever since. The bond this talented young boy has building with the audience is one that is close knit and incredibly strong. He is widely considered one of the biggest prospects in the current young lions class despite being one of the two youngest in the group.
As a young lion, Shota is being brought up in a time honored tradition, paying his dues as a hungry rookie looking to make his mark in the wrestling world. That tradition has led to the creation of some of the international wrestling scene’s greatest stars. He along with the rest of his class are coming up in one of the industry’s toughest training grounds, the New Japan dojo. The life of a young lion is one of structure and discipline which includes lessons in respect and humility. It is a life of great responsibility that Shota has taken on without fear or complaint.
Since he first debuted, his attitude and work ethic have earned Shota every opportunity that has been it in front of him. In 2018, he was paired with Kdojo alumn, Ayato Yoshida for the annual World Tag League as the only young lion team to compete. Prior to the beginning of the 2019 New Japan Cup, fans got a great surprise when Shota was announced as one the thirty-two competitors. He would be the first young lion to ever enter the tournament. His first round opponent would be none other than the first man to ever win the New Japan Cup, the Ace Of The Universe, Hiroshi Tanahashi. The odds may have been stack against him, but he stepped up, ready to face this challenge without fear. During their tag team preview match, Shota took every opportunity to challenge the living legend.
When it came time for the big match, the passionate young rookie swung for the fences at every turn. Shota gave it everything he had, even nearly getting the pin fall and almost pulling off the mother of all upsets. He came up short in the end but put on the match of his life. Most wrestlers don’t get to do something like that at such a young age. It was a great accomplishment made even more special by the fact that the referee was Shota’s father, “Red Shoes Unno.” With his performance in that match, Shota definitely made the fans, his senpai, and his dad proud. When the match was over, Tanahashi stopped on the entrance ramp and looked back at his kouhai.
Afterward, the crowd chanted Shota’s name loudly as he was helped to the back by his fellow young lions who were also proud of their brother. This match was proof that Shota Umino has the potential to become an absolute mega star.
Whatever the future has in store for him is sure to be nothing short of amazing. Time will tell as he is still so young. Fans will definitely be watching with pride as he continues to progress. They will see him grow from the short haired kid in black trunks who was still in his teens when he debuted to a fully realized adult living his dream as a wrestling superstar. Many more special moments lie ahead for Shota, and each of them will be a new step in a very bright future. What can be said for sure is that in Shota Umino New Japan Pro Wrestling has truly found a beautiful diamond in the rough.
For more about Shota Umino from Jas, look to here Twitter thread, which begins below:
Okay, my loves. Itʼs story time. Let me tell you about this boy from Japan named Shota. He is strong, handsome, and very talented. He works very hard and his heart is filled with passion. They call him a young lion.
— Jas Olan (@JasOlanPWGT) March 11, 2019
