Wrestling Goons Radio: March 2016

Saturday, March 26, 2016

WGR's NXT Takeover and WWE Wrestlemania 32 Special Podcast Preview

In this episode of Wrestling Goons Radio, the Goons are back to get you ready for NXT Takeover and WWE Wrestlemania 32. We are one week away from both shows. The guys go over their pros and cons for each show along with a short rundown of the the matches. Next week they will go over their winners and losers. What are you thoughts on the shows? Which do you prefer? Let us know and you could have your thoughts in a segment of the next episode. Its an hour long show of banter and non stop wrestling talk. Click it!

WGR's NXT Takeover and WWE Wrestlemania 32 Special Podcast Preview

Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Swords and Guns, Part Two: The Rebirth of The Bullet Club

It is exactly one year after the debut of AJ Styles in New Japan Pro Wrestling and once again, Wrestling Dontaku has become the breaking ground for yet another Bullet Club revolution that would prove to be a major turning point for the dominating group.

At Wrestling Dontaku 2014, AJ Style defeats Okaka to become the new IWGP Heavyweight Champion; subsequently, the once long standing adversary of the Bullet Club, Yujiro Takahashi betrays his fellow Chaos stablemate, Okada and joins the becomes the newest member of the Bullet Club. This act of betrayal was unprecedented at the time as Takahashi becomes the first Japanese member of the group, once thought to be an “all-gaijin” stable or all foreigner stable. To have Takahashi join the group was a slap in the face of the not only his former Japanese stable, Chaos but the Japanese people. But Takahashi would not be the last person to join the Bullet Club.

On November 8, 2014, a young charismatic Kenny Omega would debut in NJPW as the newest member of the Bullet Club; two months later he would defeat Ryusuke Taguchi to become the new IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion. Now that Kenny Omega has gold around his waist, he has a target on his back and begins a yearlong rivalry with Kushida. During their rivalry, the title would change hands between the two men and their feud would ultimately culminate at Wrestle Kingdom 10.

The first time the title would change hands is on July 5 at Dominion 7.5 in Osaka-jo Hall where Omega would drop the title to Kushida.

2 months after his first unsuccessful title defense against Kushida, Kenny Omega finds retribution by defeating Kushida to become a two time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion. This victory would cement Omega’s claim that he is “The Cleaner” of the Junior Heavyweight division and would enter Wrestle Kingdom 10 as the current IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion.

Side Note: 2 Years after their infamous debut, the Bullet Club is making history yet again at Wrestlng Dontaku 2015; Amber Gallows (wife of Doc Gallows) is the only female member of the Bullet Club and becomes one of the first women to participate in a NJPW match in 12 years. The match would be a six-person inter-gender tag team match between the Bullet Club (Doc Gallows, Karl Anderson and Amber Gallows) versus The Kingdom (Matt Taven, Michael Bennet and Maria Kanellis). They were ultimately defeated by the Kingdom.

One notable member of the Bullet Club is Cody Hall, son of wresting legend and founding member of the notorious New World Order or simply NWO. Hall along with the Young Bucks would play a pivotal role in the success and continuous shaping of the Bullet Club by the end of Wrestle Kingdom 10.

Since their undeniably dominant debut back in 2013, the Bullet Club has been a wrecking ball of wrestling talent that solidified the group’s status as a major player in the industry. Though it has seen old leaders fall and new leaders rise, the group as a whole as managed to stand the test of time. The “Elite” look to start off 2016 the same way they began their illustrious careers, as an unstoppable force that through change, will evolve and through evolution, will dominate.

Make sure to listen to Wrestling Goon’s Radio to hear the part three to this article; we will review Wrestle Kingdom 10 in its entirety and reveal what changes lie ahead for the Bullet Club and continue the journey that started three years ago.

Written By: Brian Adam Compton for Wrestling Goons Radio ©

Swords and Guns, Part One: The Birth of the Bullet Club

Wrestling Dontaku is an annual event held in Japan by wrestling promotion, New Japan Pro Wrestling and has become synonymous with birth place to one of the greatest factions in wrestling today, the Bullet Club.

On May 3, 2013, during Wrestling Dontaku, Prince Devitt (at the time was the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion) formed a tag team with his new bouncer, Bad Luck Fale and defeated his former partner Taguchi with Captain New Japan. You could argue that the Bullet Club was formed when Devitt recruited Fale but their impact on NJPW wasn’t cemented until later in the event. The now former IWGP Heavyweight Champion, Hiroshi Tanahashi had just defeated Karl Anderson and was met after the match by a ruthless Prince Devitt and company (his new bouncer, Bad Luck Fale). Karl Anderson would help Devitt and Fale beat down Tanahashi with Tama Tonga soon join in.

It was by this singular action that the Bullet Club was born. It was only a matter of time before Devitt would challenge Tanahashi for the title. Prince Devitt would win his second Best of the Super Juniors tournament. He then challenges Tanahashi for the IWGP Heavyweight Title and is unsuccessful. Prince Devitt and Tanahashi continued their feud until it’s brutal end during a Lumberjack Deathmatch on September 29 at Destruction, where Prince Devitt was defeated by Tanahashi.

On October 25, we would see the debut of two of the most notable members of the Bullet Club in the Young Bucks (Matt and Nick Jackson whom would play a pivotal role in the reshaping of the Bullet Club.

On November 9, 2013, at Power Struggle, The Young Bucks won the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship and on January 4, 2014 at Wrestle Kingdom 8 in the Tokyo Dome, Karl Anderson and the newest member of the Bullet Club, Doc Gallows won the IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Championship.

It should be noted that captured in the picture is the Young Bucks holding the Ring of Honor, PWG and IWGP Junior Tag Team Championships, all of which they held at the same time.

Later in the same event, the defending IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion, Kota Ibushi would defeat Prince Devitt to become the new IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion. Devitt’s loss marked the end of his 14-month long reign as champion.

On April 6, 2014 at Invasion Attack, a returning Ryusuke Taguchi went one on one against his long standing rival, Prince Devitt. The Young Buck tried to interfere with the match to help persuade the victory for Devitt but he wasn’t allowing it. This action caused the Young Bucks to turn on their leader and Devitt to subsequently disassociate himself from the Bullet Club. The next day, he announced his resignation from NJPW. Although, this was seen as the self-destruction of the Bullet Club, it is known that in order to build one up, sometimes you must break them down so that they may rebuild stronger and more powerful.

Later that night, a debuting AJ Styles make his allegiance known and attacks the current IWGP Heavyweight Champion, Kazuchika Okada beginning a storied rivalry and the rebirth of the Bullet Club.