Bullet Club

Bullet Club was formed in May 2013 at NJPW’s Wrestling Dontaku event. That night, Prince Devitt (Finn Bálor) shocked fans by turning on his longtime partner Ryusuke Taguchi after their loss to Hiroshi Tanahashi and Captain New Japan. Bad Luck Fale joined him in the attack, and Karl Anderson and Tama Tonga soon followed. Together, they became Bullet Club. The name is derived from combining references to Devitt’s finger-gun taunt with Anderson’s “Machine Gun” nickname.

From the start, the group broke the mold of traditional Japanese wrestling. Where most factions in the NJPW valued respect and discipline, Bullet Club thrived on chaos. They interfered in matches, staged group attacks, and mocked their opponents at every opportunity. Their black-and-white skull logo and the “too sweet” hand signal drew comparisons to the legendary nWo, but the Bullet Club quickly built its own reputation and became a phenomenon in its own right.

By the end of 2013, The Young Bucks and Doc Gallows had joined, strengthening the roster and giving the faction control of NJPW’s tag team divisions. Titles soon followed across multiple weight classes, and Bullet Club became a permanent fixture in the promotion.

Devitt’s Exit and AJ Styles’ Arrival

The group’s first major turning point came at Invasion Attack on April 6, 2014. That night, The Young Bucks turned on Devitt after his singles match against Taguchi, signaling his exit from the company. Devitt left NJPW the next day to pursue a new career in WWE, leaving a hole in the group he had started.

That same night, AJ Styles made his NJPW debut by attacking Kazuchika Okada. Less than a month later, at Wrestling Dontaku on May 3, 2014, Styles defeated Okada to capture the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, with Yujiro Takahashi turning on CHAOS to join Bullet Club.

For many fans, AJ Styles became the face of the group during this time. However, he later made it clear he never considered himself its leader. In interviews, he explained that while the media often labeled his era as “AJ Styles’ Bullet Club,” he always saw the stable as a collective rather than a hierarchy.

Regardless, Bullet Club thrived under his presence. They held nearly every major NJPW title and extended its reach to American audiences through appearances in Ring of Honor (ROH).

Kenny Omega and the Rise of The Elite

Everything shifted again at New Year Dash on January 5, 2016. On that night, Kenny Omega attacked AJ Styles after Bullet Club turned on him. With Styles soon departing for WWE, Omega stepped forward and assumed leadership, becoming the faction’s third recognized frontman. Alongside The Young Bucks, Omega formed The Elite, a subgroup within Bullet Club that would define the next chapter of its history.

The Elite era propelled Bullet Club into global pop culture. Their rise turned the stable into an international phenomenon, with shirts and logos showing up outside of just wrestling arenas. Their matches became a regular feature not only in NJPW but also in Ring of Honor, which gave the group an even stronger presence in the United States.

However, as The Elite gained influence, friction began to develop with the original members, and by 2018, the stable split into rival sides, eventually leading Omega and the Bucks to move on from NJPW. Omega, The Young Bucks, and Cody Rhodes eventually left NJPW and helped create All Elite Wrestling (AEW).

Jay White Takes Control

With the Elite gone, Bullet Club needed a new direction. Jay White had introduced his “Switchblade” persona in late 2017 and officially joined Bullet Club in October 2018. On December 22, 2018, Tama Tonga confirmed White as the new leader. Less than a month later, at Wrestle Kingdom 13 on January 4, 2019, White defeated Okada, cementing his position.

On February 11, 2019, he beat Hiroshi Tanahashi at The New Beginning in Osaka to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, giving Bullet Club another world title reign.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, travel restrictions forced Bullet Club to operate in separate branches. White led the overseas contingent, appearing in NJPW Strong and Impact Wrestling, while the Japan-based members carried on domestically.

White’s run lasted until March 2023, when David Finlay attacked him after White’s “Loser Leaves Japan” match against Hikuleo. Finlay declared Bullet Club his own and was soon positioned as the faction’s fifth leader, introducing the War Dogs subgroup, which is where it remains today.

Legacy and Influence

More than a decade after its creation, Bullet Club continues to evolve, but its place in wrestling history is already secure. What started as four men breaking the mold in Japan grew into a worldwide brand that changed how fans view factions, how wrestlers market themselves, and how promotions think globally.

In many ways, the rise of modern wrestling as an interconnected, international product runs through the legacy of Bullet Club. Former members, including Finn Bálor (formerly Prince Devitt), AJ Styles, Kenny Omega, Cody Rhodes, and Jay White, carried the group’s aura into WWE and AEW, reshaping the wrestling industry on multiple fronts.

Even after multiple departures, leadership shifts, and internal splits, Bullet Club has remained active and relevant, continuing to evolve under new generations while holding onto its identity as wrestling’s most notorious disruptor.