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On May 3rd, 2021, the Bullet Club celebrated its eighth anniversary as a faction. The group formed initially by Finn Balor (fka Prince Devitt) in 2013, is still regarded as one of the best factions in all of professional wrestling.
Much like every other year, 2021 was no different for The Bullet Club, as the group celebrated a handful of big wins at the annual NJPW Wrestling Dontaku event. On the first day of action, faction members Tama Tonga and Tanga Loa failed to win their respective singles matches.
However, the show ended on a rather positive for The Bullet Club, with the group's frontrunner Jay White making history by winning the NEVER Openweight Championship. Switchblade's win over Hiroshi Tanahashi meant that he was also the first-ever Quadruple Champion in NJPW history.
While White has been highly successful with his tenure under The Bullet Club, one must not forget that the faction was once home to several top names from around the pro wrestling world.
Upon completion of the eighth year of The Bullet Club, this seems like the perfect time to look back on the key members of the group and the impact they had on the faction.
Without any further ado, let's get straight into it.
Honorable Mentions: Robbie Eagles and Cody Hall didn't excel much in the Bullet Club
Cody Hall was once regarded as the young boy of The Bullet Club and accompanied The Elite to ringside mostly during their matches. Hall was a close spectator when the trio of Kenny Omega and The Young Bucks won the NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championships.
However, Hall wasn't able to do much for himself in terms of success under The Bullet Club. By April 2016, the son of the legendary Scott Hall was let go by NJPW and he left The Bullet Club.
Junior heavyweight star Robbie Eagles got off to a solid start with The Bullet Club and felt like a perfect fit for the faction. However, The Sniper of Skies' downfall in the group began after the arrival of El Phantasmo.
Eagles' tenure with The Bullet Club was almost similar to that of Cody Hall. The former IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion would eventually jump ship to CHAOS.
#8. Hangman Page was Bullet Club's breakout star
Hangman Page is currently one of the top stars in All Elite Wrestling. However, if it wasn't for The Bullet Club, Page's ability as a singles wrestler probably would've gone unnoticed.
During his time with the faction, Page competed against the likes of Kazuchika Okada, Kota Ibushi, and even put on a show against Kenny Omega. However, in terms of success with the faction, Page didn't have too many reasons to celebrate.
#7. Adam Cole had his ups and downs with The Bullet Club
During his run with The Bullet Club, Adam Cole sure did have his moments. Cole's introduction to the faction itself remains one of the most memorable moments of his career.
Cole mostly worked in the United States of America during his time with The Bullet Club and was highly successful stateside. However, the current WWE Superstar was never as successful in Japan, as he was in the US.
The former WWE NXT Champion's tenure with The Bullet Club saw him teaming up with The Young Bucks, Kenny Omega, Cody Rhodes, and Hangman Page. It could very well be said that Cole was a part of one of the most star-studded Bullet Club lineups of all time.
#6. Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows were the primary tag team of The Bullet Club
Karl Anderson was one of the original members of The Bullet Club. Anderson and his long-term tag team partner Luke Gallows were the primary tag team of The Bullet Club for years and held the IWGP Tag Team Titles on numerous occasions.
In particular, it could be said that Anderson had more of an impact on The Bullet Club solely because of his exceptional ability as a singles wrestler. However, The Good Brothers always delivered as a tag team and were definitely a huge part of The Bullet Club for a long period of time.
#5. Cody Rhodes turned The Bullet Club on its head in hopes of becoming the leader
One of the best parts about Cody Rhodes joining The Bullet Club was his greed to become the leader of the faction. While the group always liked to follow heel antics, Rhodes himself was on a level of his own while portraying the role of the bad guy.
A former IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion, Rhodes also brought the NWA World Championship to The Bullet Club. However, The American Nightmare had his sights set on a bigger prize, the leadership of the faction.
Rhodes' rivalry with Omega caused a civil war within The Bullet Club, and it remains one of the best storylines in all of pro wrestling in recent years.
#4. The Young Bucks were a key part of The Bullet Club's success
The Young Bucks started as the primary junior heavyweight tag team for The Bullet Club. Introduced by Prince Devitt into the faction, Matt and Nick Jackson made an immediate impact in the Jr. Heavyweight Tag Team Division.
For years, The Young Bucks competed in the Jr. Heavyweight division and by the end of their iconic run, Matt and Nick Jackson had won the IWGP Jr. Tag Team Titles seven different times.
Following the departure of Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows to WWE, The Young Bucks finally joined the heavyweight tag team division. Matt and Nick Jackson also found a huge amount of success in their new weight class, winning the IWGP Tag Team Championships once.
The Young Bucks certainly was a crucial part of the evolution of The Bullet Club and were vital members of the group.
#3. AJ Styles brought the IWGP Heavyweight Championship to The Bullet Club
AJ Styles' run with The Bullet Club was iconic and historic for many reasons. The Phenomenal One was the first superstar to bring the IWGP Heavyweight Championship to The Bullet Club and also led the faction from the front after Prince Devitt's departure.
During his run with the faction, Styles put together some of the absolute best matches of his career. His bouts with Minoru Suzuki, Kota Ibushi, and Shinsuke Nakamura are often regarded as some of the best matches in NJPW history.
Overall, Styles' impact on The Bullet Club was absolutely massive. His incarnation of the faction also remains quite popular within the pro wrestling fanbase.
#2. Kenny Omega revolutionized The Bullet Club
Kenny Omega's leadership of The Bullet Club left fans divided. Many have argued that Omega was the reason why The Bullet Club didn't feel like the faction it once used to be. However, a majority also believe that Omega's leadership elevated the group and took them to a new level, especially in the USA.
Omega's introduction to The Bullet Club was absolutely spot on. The former DDT sensation joined the group as the newest junior heavyweight representative and immediately won the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Title.
But being under the command of AJ Styles and co. at the time, Omega slowly decided it was time for him to be the primary member of the group. In 2016, The Cleaner turned his back on Styles and kicked The Phenomenal One out of The Bullet Club, immediately after pinning Shinsuke Nakamura.
Omega then began his journey from The Cleaner to The Best Bout Machine. A journey that saw him win the IWGP Intercontinental Title, the IWGP US Title, and lastly capture the IWGP Heavyweight Title.
However, Omega's alignment with The Elite saw him get booted from The Bullet Club by the faction's other members. Nevertheless, one certainly cannot argue with the fact that The Best Bout Machine had a huge role in the development of The Bullet Club.
#1. Prince Devitt began The Bullet Club revolution which is still going strong
Prince Devitt's formation of The Bullet Club in 2013 remains one of the biggest aspects of professional wrestling. One of the most dedicated heels of his time with the faction, Devitt (aka Finn Balor) changed the game forever and revolutionized NJPW and pro wrestling with The Bullet Club.
Devitt forming the faction also led to him winning the IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Championship. But more importantly, Devitt's run with the group also saw him get shots at the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, which back in the day was quite rare for a Jr. Heavyweight wrestler.
In fact, Devitt also competed in the G1 Climax and shared the ring with the likes of Kazuchika Okada, Hiroshi Tanahashi, and Katsuyori Shibata. Some of the best heavyweight wrestlers in NJPW history.
During his time with the group, the Irishman had a completely different aura. The former IWGP Jr. Heavyweight Champion tormented reporters backstage with The Bullet Club. Devitt also wasn't shy about holding back in press conferences, as he cussed out at almost everybody.
One should look no further than Prince Devitt's version of The Bullet Club when it comes to proper heel groups in professional wrestling.
