Shota Umino Says He’s Not Part Of Blackpool Combat Club, Recalls Learning From Claudio Castagnoli

Shota Umino sets the record straight.

Shota Umino sets the record straight.

At NJPW Dominion, Umino teamed up with Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli of Blackpool Combat Club, and the trio unsuccessfully challenged Kazuchika Okada, Tomohiro Ishii, and Hiroshi Tanahashi forthe NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship. Umino also teamed up with Blackpool Combat Club at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door, where they lost to The Elite (Hangman Page and The Young Bucks), Eddie Kingston, and Ishii.

Speaking with NJPW’s website, Umino was asked to describe what it was like to team with Moxley. Umino praised the work Moxley is doing, and he addressed his apparent association with Blackpool Combat Club. He stated that he is not a part of the group, but there’s something deeper than a babyface and heel divide between them.

“He’s doing some incredible things in AEW right now, love or hate them. There were a lot of people asking me these few weeks if I was part of Blackpool Combat Club, and the answer is that I’m not. I said it all in my backstage comments in Osaka, but me and Mox, it’s something that’s deeper than a babyface and heel fan opinion,” Umino said. 

Umino was also asked to share his thoughts on teaming up with Castagnoli, and he responded by noting that he learned a lot from the ROH World Champion. He recalled how they hit off in the ring, and the veteran gave him a lot of advice after the match.

“I learned a lot from him. I mean, it really was the first time, considering we didn’t meet at all until minutes before we were in the ring, but we were able to hit it off when we were out there, and going out to eat afterward he gave me a lot of advice,” he said.

Umino also noted that he can learn a lot from Moxley and Castagnoli; he specifically highlighted the way they talk, wrestle, and think as traits that he was impressed with.

NJPW recently dubbed Shota Umino, Ren Narita,and Yota Tsuji as the Reiwa Three Musketeers. More information is available here.

Umino will compete in the G1 Climax 33. More information is available here.