Shota Umino’s next assignment as champ has been decided.
Just hours after Umino overcame PAC at AEW x NJPW Forbidden Door 2026 to retain his IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship, another title matchup has been made for him.
Umino will put his title on the line against AEW talent Gabe Kidd at NJPW’s July 6 Road to G1 Climax event, the company announced Monday. The bout will serve as the co-main event for a show from Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.
Umino captured the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship just earlier this month, pinning Andrade El Idolo during a three-way match at Dominion.
“Shooter’s” celebration was short-lived, as the returning Kidd attacked him during a post-match segment. Kidd made it clear that he was looking to once again take Umino’s title, a belt he held for 120 days last year while part of the NJPW roster.
The booking is expected to be Kidd’s first match back since suffering an injury at AEW’s Dynasty pay-per-view in April. He’s scheduled to participate in this year’s G1 Climax tournament as well.
Here’s an updated look at the July 6 card, which will see the final two G1 spots determined, plus two title showdowns.
- El Desperado, Masatora Yasuda, Taichi & Yuya Uemura vs. DOUKI, Ren Narita, SANADA & SHO
- Aaron Wolf, Hirooki Goto, Boltin Oleg & Tatsuya Matsumoto vs. Daiki Nagai, Shingo Takagi, Yota Tsuji & Yuto-Ice
- Jado & Tiger Mask vs. Dick Togo & Yoshinobu Kanemaru vs. Gedo & Taiji Ishimori
- Yujiro Takahashi vs. OSKAR (G1 Play-In)
- El Phantasmo vs. Ryohei Oiwa (G1 Play-In)
- Shota Umino vs. Gabe Kidd (IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship)
- YOH vs. Francesco Akira (IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship)
