Umino gets a lesson from the master
As Shota Umino gets set for his first G1 Climax starting on July 15, he got an extra boost from a legendary veteran in the form of Masahiro Chono, who taught the Roughneck the art of the STF.
Having grown up a fan of Chono’s, Umino was a grateful guest of ‘jet black charisma’ to record for his YouTube channel. At the end of a lively discussion, and with Ryohei Oiwa as a Young Lion assistant, Chono passed on his knowledge of the hold. While Chono would show the original version, transitioning from a half crab into the hold, Umino would put his own twist on things, moving from a grounded opponent into the STF. Chono would give close instruction on the angle of the chin lock as he took Oiwa down by the neck, as well as the key of securing a tight lock on the leg with a half crab. Praising Umino’s efforts, he also advised the young prospect to put his own twist on the hold.
After the lesson, Umino was in high spirits, suggesting that the STF could join the Death Rider as a go to finish during the G1. Chono said he hopes that Umino would be ‘the eye of the G1 storm’ and that he hopes for the Roughneck to create the Paradigm Shift he often talks of.
Masahiro Chono comment:
(Umino) has such a tremendous upside. I want him to go as far as he can, up to and including the whole damn thing. He’s just come back from overseas, he’s young, he’s afraid of nothing. He should be out to take whatever he can.
I’ve been on both sides of this so I know. A wrestler in his 30s is no match for a kid in his 20s who’s hungry enough. The kid’s 26 and he’s entering this level playing field- he should be doing all he can to level himself up. When you look at any other tour, you’re looking at one match or another, one guy or another being the main event, but in the G1, the brand, the tournament is the main event. So it’s up to every single one of those guys to make sure they stand out from anyone else and leave a lasting impression. If you aren’t hungry, it’s a hard tour. For me, it was always a hard tour anyway (laughs).
–What’s the key to survival in this tournament?
Chono: Really it’s about managing injury. A tour like this, injury is a given, but it’s how you handle it that’s key. I was hurt in every single G1 I did, and absolutely nobody gets to the final feeling fine. It’s all about keeping that injury under control, and managing that with the pressure of being on the big stage. Umino being young as he is, that’s a big benefit, and you add his skill and his fearlessness and that’s a big win.
–How was the STF lesson?
Chono: I forgot how to put it on at first (laughs). The more strings you have to your bow the better, and the more ways you get into a hold, the more the hold itself changes. Once you have the fundamentals of a hold down, you can put all kinds of extra variation on top. It can go from a leg hold to a neck one for one thing.
Shota Umino comment:
As a kid, Chono was always my favourite of the Three Musketeers. I learned a lot from him today, and I’ve added a pretty powerful weapon that nobody else can say they have.
–How does your STF compare to Chono’s?
Umino: Pretty different. Having the neck and the leg as two ways to get in was a real education. Each of those different points, what body part you take and how you tweak it, that can really take the hold to another level. Chono is really synonymous with the G1, so I want to use this masterclass as a jumping off point and win a few matches with the STF. I think I can definitely put it next to the Death Rider when it comes to major moves of mine.
