Friday, March 24, 2023
NEARFALLS Media
  • Home
  • Features
    • All
    • Champion's Corner
    • Diamonds In The Rough
    • Lists
    • Meaning of the Mask
    • Opinions
    • Poetry
    • Reader's Choice
    TJPW – Everything You Need To Know, In One Match

    TJPW – Everything You Need To Know, In One Match

    Insane Championship Wrestling: Three Breakout Stars for 2023

    Insane Championship Wrestling: Three Breakout Stars for 2023

    20 Matches under 20 Minutes, 2021

    20 Matches under 20 Minutes, 2021

    CM Punk is better than you, and that’s the problem.

    CM Punk is better than you, and that’s the problem.

    “At THAT point I realised I can do this” – Eddie Edwards, IMPACT Wrestling

    “At THAT point I realised I can do this” – Eddie Edwards, IMPACT Wrestling

    Whose Generation Is It? The Roxanne Perez & Cora Jade Story

    Whose Generation Is It? The Roxanne Perez & Cora Jade Story

    Dethroning Roman Reigns: 7 Pop Culture Contendors

    Dethroning Roman Reigns: 7 Pop Culture Contendors

    Wrestling’s Most Unique Championships

    “Don’t Try This at Home” – How wrestling injuries can happen

    “Don’t Try This at Home” – How wrestling injuries can happen

    • Opinions
    • Champion’s Corner
    • Meaning of the Mask
  • Event Coverage
    • All
    • Show Previews
    • Show Reviews
    TJPW – Everything You Need To Know, In One Match

    TJPW – Everything You Need To Know, In One Match

    20 Matches under 20 Minutes, 2021

    20 Matches under 20 Minutes, 2021

    Whose Generation Is It? The Roxanne Perez & Cora Jade Story

    Whose Generation Is It? The Roxanne Perez & Cora Jade Story

    Rika Tatsumi vs Shoko Nakajima: Making Humans of Us Monsters

    Rika Tatsumi vs Shoko Nakajima: Making Humans of Us Monsters

    CM Punk and The Elite of AEW: A Timeline

    CM Punk and The Elite of AEW: A Timeline

    Josh Alexander has Eric Young’s respect – because he’s done things the right way

    Josh Alexander has Eric Young’s respect – because he’s done things the right way

    Introducing… HAYATA

    Introducing… HAYATA

    Pro Wrestling NOAH’s History With England

    Pro Wrestling NOAH’s History With England

    Hot Off the Tess: Yet Another WOW Update

    Hot Off the Tess: Yet Another WOW Update

    • Show Previews
    • Show Reviews
  • Join the Team
  • Meet The Team
  • The Game of 2 Halves
    Football Manager 2022: 10 Teams To Start Your Save

    Football Manager 2022: 10 Teams To Start Your Save

    What is happening at Burnley Football Club?

    What is happening at Burnley Football Club?

    La Liga Santander Matchday 1 & 2 (21/22 Season)

    La Liga Santander Matchdays 5 – 7 (21/22 Season)

    Serie A Matchday 1 (21/22 Season)

    Serie A Matchday 4 – 6 (21/22 Season)

    Ligue 1 Matchdays 1 & 2 Round Up (21/22 Season)

    Ligue 1 Matchdays 6 – 8 (21/22 Season)

    Bundesliga.1 Matchday 2 (21/22 Season)

    Bundesliga.1 Matchday 5 (21/22 Season)

    Serie A Matchday 1 (21/22 Season)

    Serie A Matchday 3 (21/22 Season) Roundup

    La Liga Santander Matchday 1 & 2 (21/22 Season)

    La Liga Santander Matchday 4 (21/22 Season)

    Ligue 1 Matchdays 1 & 2 Round Up (21/22 Season)

    Ligue 1 Matchday 5 (21/22 Season) Roundup

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Features
    • All
    • Champion's Corner
    • Diamonds In The Rough
    • Lists
    • Meaning of the Mask
    • Opinions
    • Poetry
    • Reader's Choice
    TJPW – Everything You Need To Know, In One Match

    TJPW – Everything You Need To Know, In One Match

    Insane Championship Wrestling: Three Breakout Stars for 2023

    Insane Championship Wrestling: Three Breakout Stars for 2023

    20 Matches under 20 Minutes, 2021

    20 Matches under 20 Minutes, 2021

    CM Punk is better than you, and that’s the problem.

    CM Punk is better than you, and that’s the problem.

    “At THAT point I realised I can do this” – Eddie Edwards, IMPACT Wrestling

    “At THAT point I realised I can do this” – Eddie Edwards, IMPACT Wrestling

    Whose Generation Is It? The Roxanne Perez & Cora Jade Story

    Whose Generation Is It? The Roxanne Perez & Cora Jade Story

    Dethroning Roman Reigns: 7 Pop Culture Contendors

    Dethroning Roman Reigns: 7 Pop Culture Contendors

    Wrestling’s Most Unique Championships

    “Don’t Try This at Home” – How wrestling injuries can happen

    “Don’t Try This at Home” – How wrestling injuries can happen

    • Opinions
    • Champion’s Corner
    • Meaning of the Mask
  • Event Coverage
    • All
    • Show Previews
    • Show Reviews
    TJPW – Everything You Need To Know, In One Match

    TJPW – Everything You Need To Know, In One Match

    20 Matches under 20 Minutes, 2021

    20 Matches under 20 Minutes, 2021

    Whose Generation Is It? The Roxanne Perez & Cora Jade Story

    Whose Generation Is It? The Roxanne Perez & Cora Jade Story

    Rika Tatsumi vs Shoko Nakajima: Making Humans of Us Monsters

    Rika Tatsumi vs Shoko Nakajima: Making Humans of Us Monsters

    CM Punk and The Elite of AEW: A Timeline

    CM Punk and The Elite of AEW: A Timeline

    Josh Alexander has Eric Young’s respect – because he’s done things the right way

    Josh Alexander has Eric Young’s respect – because he’s done things the right way

    Introducing… HAYATA

    Introducing… HAYATA

    Pro Wrestling NOAH’s History With England

    Pro Wrestling NOAH’s History With England

    Hot Off the Tess: Yet Another WOW Update

    Hot Off the Tess: Yet Another WOW Update

    • Show Previews
    • Show Reviews
  • Join the Team
  • Meet The Team
  • The Game of 2 Halves
    Football Manager 2022: 10 Teams To Start Your Save

    Football Manager 2022: 10 Teams To Start Your Save

    What is happening at Burnley Football Club?

    What is happening at Burnley Football Club?

    La Liga Santander Matchday 1 & 2 (21/22 Season)

    La Liga Santander Matchdays 5 – 7 (21/22 Season)

    Serie A Matchday 1 (21/22 Season)

    Serie A Matchday 4 – 6 (21/22 Season)

    Ligue 1 Matchdays 1 & 2 Round Up (21/22 Season)

    Ligue 1 Matchdays 6 – 8 (21/22 Season)

    Bundesliga.1 Matchday 2 (21/22 Season)

    Bundesliga.1 Matchday 5 (21/22 Season)

    Serie A Matchday 1 (21/22 Season)

    Serie A Matchday 3 (21/22 Season) Roundup

    La Liga Santander Matchday 1 & 2 (21/22 Season)

    La Liga Santander Matchday 4 (21/22 Season)

    Ligue 1 Matchdays 1 & 2 Round Up (21/22 Season)

    Ligue 1 Matchday 5 (21/22 Season) Roundup

No Result
View All Result
NEARFALLS Media
No Result
View All Result
Home Features Opinions

The Bullet Club Problem

Lizzy Flanagan by Lizzy Flanagan
March 28, 2021
in Opinions
0 0
2
The Bullet Club Problem
0
SHARES
0
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Introduction

This isn’t the first time Bullet Club has experienced a division within its ranks, nor is it the most severe of its divisions. The most stark division within Bullet Club is undoubtedly the feud between the Elite and the OGs. As of the moment, there is no explicit, boiling tension in Bullet Club. There is, though, an unmistakable dissonance. 

Evil’s defection to Bullet Club was in many ways, a lifeline thrown to the faction so they could make it through quarantine. With the majority of members locked out of Japan, the stable was left with just Taiji Ishimori, Yujiro Takahashi, Gedo and Jado. Evil coming in gave them a much needed heavyweight star to lead the faction. 

Under Evil’s leadership, the new, ragtag Bullet Club started to develop its own identity. They had a much more ordered, militaristic feel as opposed to the looser structure the club had under Jay White. 

Now that the gaijins have returned, though, there’s seemingly two clubs thrown into one. While there hasn’t been any outright fighting between Evil and Jay White, there has been some arguments  between the two. For instance, Jay accused Evil of trying to play mind games with him, and accused Yujiro of conspiring against him in Evil’s favor.  Besides verbal jabs and accusations, though, there has been no real violence in Bullet Club. 

So, what’s the solution to this dissonance? 

Tama Tonga welcomes Jay White into the Bullet Club ranks in 2018
Photo Credit – New Japan Pro Wrestling

Time to Cut the Switchblade

Jay White is at his strongest when he can utilize his cunning. He’s a bit like NJPW’s Loki, in this sense. Tying him down to a faction, at least in my opinion, is a shot in the foot for the Switchblade. Jay White is incredibly talented, both in the ring and on the mic, and I think he’s ready to stand on his own as a tweener in NJPW. 

Much of the reason why Jay was booked the way he was (beating Tanahashi for the Heavyweight title, facing Okada at Madison Square Garden), was because he was a stand-in for former Bullet Club leader Kenny Omega. Heading into 2021,  Jay has far surpassed his role of being another man’s replacement. New Japan shouldn’t keep holding him in that mold.

Bullet Club is Evil

Evil carries himself like a leader. From his grandiose entrance, to the large shoulder armor he wears to the ring, to the absoluteness of his finisher, “Everything is Evil,” everything about Evil has a “final boss” type of feeling to him. It’s odd, then, to see him as the second in command to anyone, especially when considering that being in Tetsuya Naito’s shadow is why Evil left LIJ in the first place. 

In almost every aspect of the stable, Evil should be the leader (I say almost since his lack of experience with Bullet Club takes some credibility away from the King of Darkness, and favors a BC OG like Tama Tonga). I think putting him in charge would bring about a very fascinating structure of the stable, as well; At the top you’d have the King and his confidant, Togo, and with them you’d have the Bullet Club army. The current names of many BC members already lend themselves well to this militaristic theme: the general, the bone soldier, the guerillas, etc (the pimp is a bit of an oddball here, the motifs still stand). 

EVIL and the other Japanese members of Bullet Club too sweet one another
Credit – NJPW

Conclusion 

The G1 finals would’ve been the perfect place to address the discordance between Evil and Jay with a match between the two. New Japan chose instead to give the platform to two other wrestlers, and effectively put any tension there might be in Bullet Club on the back burner. From a storytelling perspective, I think this was a waste of potential, but knowing the long term booking of NJPW this feud could very well be brought up later. 

You could easily make the argument that Bullet Club doesn’t really need to be strictly unified; Chaos, for example, has a broad range of personalities with no clear theme running through them besides the fact that they’re all babyfaces. But given how popular Bullet Club is as a faction, especially in the United States, I think it would be smart to make sure the stable has a strong identity within it. The clearest way to do this would be to let Jay loose and unify the faction under Evil’s reign. 

Then again, this is all just speculation. After all, if you ask anyone in the stable, they’d most likely assure you that Bullet Club is fine.

Tags: Bullet ClubEVILJay White
Previous Post

Pro Wrestling NOAH The Gift Preview

Next Post

Meaning of the Mask: Titán

Lizzy Flanagan

Lizzy Flanagan

Next Post
Meaning of the Mask: Titán

Meaning of the Mask: Titán

Comments 2

  1. Tayo Jones says:
    2 years ago

    Personally I make TAMA of KENTA the new leader. EVIL should lead his own group, not BC.

    Reply
  2. Tayo Jones says:
    2 years ago

    Personally I make TAMA of KENTA the new leader. EVIL should lead his own group, not BC. As for White, he could be the wild card of NJPW.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

About Us




Founded in 2020 (as Chops, Kicks & Nearfalls), Nearfalls Media aims to bring genuine, enjoyable content in audio and written form. No news. No clickbait. Nothing inauthentic. Our content will always be provided by passionate individuals, who follow and understand the subject they write about.





© 2021 Nearfalls Media

No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • Features
    • Opinions
    • Champion’s Corner
    • Meaning of the Mask
  • Event Coverage
    • Show Previews
    • Show Reviews
  • Join the Team
  • Meet The Team
  • The Game of 2 Halves

© 2023 JNews - Premium WordPress news & magazine theme by Jegtheme.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In