"Doing whatever they can to stay in the spotlight" - Current champion rips The Elite & Bullet Club Gold

AEW All In is almost here, and one of the biggest matches on the card is The Elite's Kenny Omega, Hangman Adam Page, and Kota Ibushi vs. Bullet Club Gold's Juice Robinson and Jay White alongside Konosuke Takeshita. But one NJPW star didn't think much of either faction and ripped into both groups in a recent interview.

Bullet Club Gold has been tearing up in AEW since their debut in April. An offshoot of the legendary gaijin faction in NJPW, the group is currently comprised of Jay White, Juice Robinson, and Austin & Colten Gunn.

Speaking in an exclusive interview with Fightful, current IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champion and Bullet Club member Clark Connors ran down BC Gold, calling White and Robinson's offshoot faction "phony."

"I think, that one in particular, is Jay White doing everything he can to stay relevant going over to a new company. Same with Juice. Doing whatever they can to stay in the spotlight, taking up those Gunn boys, doing whatever that is. I don’t watch a lot of it, to tell you the truth. I think it’s kind of phony bologna bullsh*t, to tell you the truth. The only real Bullet Club is the one that’s in New Japan and it’s helmed by David Finlay," said Connors.

Connors also brought up The O.C. (Original Club), a faction in WWE comprised of AJ Styles, Luke Gallows, Karl Anderson, and Michin (Mia Yim). The group is Standford-based promotion's attempt to capitalize on the Bullet Club name with some of the group's early members.

"It’s great that people want to keep using our branding, even the OC, they want to use our branding. That’s great, and good for them, but they’re not the real Bullet Club," added Connors.

Clark Connors is glad The Elite aren't in Bullet Club anymore

The Elite were a huge part of Bullet Club during what was arguably its most successful era. Headed by Kenny Omega, the faction dominated New Japan Pro-Wrestling from 2016-2018. When Omega & Co. left to form AEW, the stable underwent a period of decline in Japan.

In the same interview, Connors tore into The Elite, declaring that he's glad they're not around to drag Bullet Club down anymore:

"The Elite, whatever they think of us, the Bullet Club in my opinion, truthfully, they ruined the Bullet Club. Those guys made it into something that was cool for a bunch of otaku nerds and gets them involved and gets them excited, but realistically, that’s not what the Bullet Club is. It’s not going home and playing video games after work, you know? It’s not being friends with all the Japanese audience after the fact. No, it’s going out and kicking a**, dude, doing what you want. I’m happy they’re not around because we got the real Bullet Club in New Japan, the War Dogs."

Do you miss The Elite in Bullet Club? Or are you happy with the current roster? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below!