I got this idea from watching a review on New Beginning in Osaka but I'm pretty sure some might have the same ideas. Based on what happened at NBG in Osaka, where Shota lost another big match and then proceeded to shave parts of his head completely, it's obviously he's going through very needed gimmick changes. I think the best thing for him would be to join United Empire…. As a Young Lion.
Now before y'all get to down voting, he would only be a young lion during the New Japan Cup tour and until Sakura Genesis. Also at first, he would be a young lion but as part of Hontai at the moment. The next time Shota makes his return to the ring, he will face either GOK or ELP during the second round of the New Japan Cup. Regardless of who he faces, Umino still loses but fighting as a Young Lion, fighting as someone starting from the ground up again and trying to find himself.
As the tour goes on, Shota continues to release frustration during multi man tags, whether it's either against Young Lions, against other factions or even ppl within Hontai. By the time we get to Sakura Genesis, ELP will face GOK for the NJPW World TV title with members of UE at ringside while Shota will be by ELP's side. GOK beats ELP after a hard fought match, and as UE celebrates GOK finally winning a major singles title, that's when Shota looks on from outside and realizes….. Hontai is not the place for him.
Now in this scenario, I would not have Shota go full heel on ELP. He could simply just walk into the ring and instead of helping ELP get back up …. He simply goes to UE and throws the Crowns Up…. And just like that Umino walks out on ELP the same way G.O.D (excluding Jado) walked out on his and becomes part of UE. Call me crazy but I don't think Shota needs to go full heel and if he does, it should be with him having his own faction but I really like this idea a lot.
For me, it just makes too much sense to have Shota be the Ace of UE while GOK becomes the Leader for the time being. Shota is not the Tanahashi esque Babyface he claims to be, he is not Tranquilo enough to be part of LIJ nor does he need to go full heel and be War Dogs or H.O.T. There's also TMDK but considering he lost the biggest match of his career against the faction leader, putting Umino in that faction would be like Goto joining CHAOS after losing to Okada (Sorry Goto I had to mention this). United Empire have been heeling it up a bit more recently due to their lack of success but at its core, they're a tweener faction like LIJ and TMDK. Shota could be himself and finally become THE ROUGHNECK by surrounding himself with a bunch of Roughnecks (Cobb, Henare, GOK, Akira, Newman ect.)
I really hope this idea happens, if not then hopefully New Japan is cooking something interesting with Shota but just imagine the guy trading in the pink and white colors for the beautiful Black,Green and Gold 😎.
by NewJapanMark95