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Till this very day, legendary Japanese based faction Bullet Club is considered to be one of the most iconic factions to ever step foot into the professional wrestling business. Initiated in 2013 by current WWE Superstar and former Universal Champion Finn Balor, the Bullet Club throughout the years has had some of the biggest names in their ranks.
Some of the greatest stars who have set foot in the business have once been a part of the Bullet Club and that includes the likes of current WWE stars AJ Styles, Luke Gallows, and Karl Anderson. Whereas, All Elite Wrestling EVPs, Cody Rhodes, Kenny Omega, and The Young Bucks were all vital members of the Bullet Club, at one point in their careers.
The Bullet Club's motto states that "The Bullet Club is for life" and despite all these men departing from the faction throughout the years, the group has paid homage to some of their former members over the years. With that being said, here are 5 occasions when the Bullet Club paid homage to their former members and present-day WWE and AEW stars.
#5 Guerillas of Destiny pay tribute to Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows
Since Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows' departure from New Japan Pro Wrestling and the Bullet Club in 2016, Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa have formed a tag team called the Guerillas of Destiny which has taken over as the prime heavyweight tag team of The BC.
In the 2018 NJPW World Tag League, The Guerillas of Destiny used the Magic Killer, a finishing maneuver which was made popular by Anderson and Gallows in Japan during their tenure with the company and The BC. As seen, Tama and Loa have adapted pretty well to the move and have been seen using it every now and then during their big matches in New Japan.
#4 El Phantasmo brings out the Styles Clash
El Phantasmo has taken the NJPW Jr. Heavyweight division by storm ever since signing with the company and being revealed as the newest member of the Bullet Club. Well, not only has ELP been a vital part of the Junior Heavyweight division in Japan but he has also been dominating RevPro UK's Cruiserweight Division, where he is the current RevPro British Cruiserweight Champion.
At RevPro UK: Live at the Cockpit 44, ELP went one-on-one against top prospect Michael Oku and as seen, midway through the match, Phantasmo hit Oku with a Styles Clash. Furthermore, in his recent Super J Cup matches against Dragon Lee and his IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship match against Will Ospreay at King of Pro Wrestling, The Headbanger paid tribute to the former ace of the BC by hitting the Styles Clash in both the pivotal matches.
However, Phantasmo certainly isn't the first NJPW star to take a page out of The Phenomenal One's book and hit the Styles Clash.
#3 El Phantasmo takes a page out of Kenny Omega's book
Since having joined the Bullet Club, ELP has certainly taken his game to the next level in the pro wrestling industry and not only that, the current one half of the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Champions has also added a few notable moves to his arsenal including the Styles Clash. However, AJ Styles isn't the only wrestler out of whose book Phantasmo has taken a page as the current RevPro British Cruiserweight Champion recently also used two of Kenny Omega's most devastating moves as well.
As first seen at the Super J-Cup finals against Dragon Lee, ELP hit the former IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion with a Styles Clash, followed by a V-Trigger on the luchador. Also, at the recently concluded King of Pro Wrestling event, Phantasmo was seen using Omega's One-Winged Angel in his thrilling match against Will Ospreay but was unable to defeat The Ariel Assassin with the move.
#2 AJ Styles takes over the Bloody Sunday
Throughout his illustrious career, AJ Styles has always been known to executing some of the most clinical and finest moves inside the squared circle. Following Finn Balor's departure from NJPW, former TNA veteran AJ Styles made his return to the Japanese promotion and took over the Bullet Club, as he legitimized his place as the faction's frontrunner. Well, not only did Styles takeover the Bullet Club from Balor but he also started using the popular Bloody Sunday, a move which was made famous by Finn Balor in the first place.
With Styles adding the Bloody Sunday to his arsenal, the move certainly gave him the edge in a lot of his matches back in Ring of Honor and even on the Independent Circuit. The former IWGP Heavyweight Champion has previously been seen using the move against arch-rival Kazuchika Okada and has also executed it on Adam Cole, once on an apron and the other one from a top rope.
#1 Kenny Omega uses the Styles Clash and Bloody Sunday
The G1 Climax 26 finale is considered to be one of the most grueling finals in the tournament's history and is also considered to be one of the most historic G1 finales of all time, as well. With AJ Styles' exit from the Bullet Club, Kenny Omega had made the transition to the heavyweight division and made his way to the very top by initially winning the IWGP Intercontinental Championship and then winning the G1 Climax.
Not only did Omega become the first gaijin star to win the G1 Climax tournament in New Japan history but as seen in the final match of the tourney, The Best Bout Machine pulled off everything and anything he possibly could when he hit the Styles Clash and the Bloody Sunday on opponent Hirooki Goto.
Struggling to put away the former IWGP IC Champion, Omega decided to take a page out his predecessors, hitting the two iconic moves as the crowd erupted. The former IWGP Heavyweight Champion eventually got the win after hitting the One-Winged Angel as he made history in doing so.
