10 Wrestlers Who Are In The Wrong Company

5. Shota Umino

Tetsuya Naito NXT
NJPW

Shouldn't be in NJPW* because...

*Temporarily.

A studious Twitter user - @jojo_runs - recently discovered an interesting statistic. Shota Umino has wrestled 300+ matches ahead of the traditional Young Lion excursion; usually, around this timeframe, the Lion ventures west. Still just 22, there is no rush for the preternaturally gifted but raw prospect to shape that incendiary babyface fire into a more refined midcard act, but a recent shift in NJPW's recruitment policy may narrow his path. The signings of Shingo Takagi and KENTA have over-loaded the upper midcard.

Should be in AEW because...

He can resume his wonderful, wholesome-but-badass association with bad influence Jon Moxley.

Besides which, without just fan-casting Further Adventures of the Death Riders, AEW boasts the most concentrated, eclectic talent roster in mainstream wrestling. Home to super-workers in Kenny Omega and PAC, practitioners of violence in Joey Janela and Darby Allin, and traditional, expert storytellers in Cody and Chris Jericho, the irony of the ongoing spat is that AEW is the perfect destination for the travelling Lion. The idea is to learn new skills and to flesh out their personality, and AEW is a self-proclaimed "buffet" of professional wrestling.

It's not happening, obviously: AEW effectively ruined NJPW's big U.S. expansion venture.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!