Category: New Japan Pro Wrestling

Doc Gallows & Karl Anderson Going To NXT, Bullet Club Name Update

Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reports the current word is that WWE NXT will see Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson debut at NXT TV tapings in early March.

No word yet on when AJ Styles might debut but at one point WWE did want him as a surprise entrant in the 30-man Royal Rumble main event. That could have changed when the news got out. As noted, Shinsuke Nakamura is headed to do WWE training and medical tests in February but there’s been no word on when he might appear on WWE TV.

On a related note, the Bullet Club name is still owned by New Japan Pro Wrestling as of this week. Gallows owns the rights to the name Biz Cliz.

Update On Bullet Club Members Leaving NJPW For WWE

It was noted previously that there was rumors that Bullet Club members Bad Luck Fale & Tama Tonga may leave New Japan Pro Wrestling for WWE, but Bad Luck Fale announced that he wouldn’t be leaving New Japan, reports emerged that Bullet Club partner Tama Tonga will be sticking around as well.

Dave Meltzer of Wrestling Observer Radio mentioned on last night’s show that Tonga has re-signed with New Japan Pro Wrestling. The 33-year old has been in New Japan since 2010, and is a founding member of the highly popular Bullet Club faction.

Shortly after we published the story, Tonga took to Twitter to say this wasn’t the case. Tonga said that he’s still a free agent, despite the rumors that he’d re-signed a new deal with New Japan Pro Wrestling.

Tonga is the son of Haku, who showed up at Wrestle Kingdom 10 and New Year Dash as a cameo member of the Bullet Club. Tonga’s brother Micah competes for TNA, and performed in the WWE and NXT as Camacho.

Source: WrestlingINC

NJPW Stripped Shinsuke Nakamura Of IWGP Intercontinental Championship

Source: WrestlingINC

If you were expecting Shinsuke Nakamura to hang around and drop the IWGP Intercontinental Championship, you can give up on that idea. New Japan Pro Wrestling has stripped Nakamura of the championship, although he’ll appear on a few shows to finish out his deal.

New Japan Pro Wrestling posted an article early Tuesday announcing the move. Many expected Nakamura to finish out the month in New Japan in order to lose the title, likely to new Bullet Club leader Kenny Omega.

Omega and Nakamura started a storyline at New Year Dash where Omega pinned the dominant IWGP Intercontinental Champion. After the match, Omega hit fellow Bullet Club member AJ Styles with his finish, kicking him out of the group. Omega then challenged Nakamura to a title match. The article stated that Kenny Omega would be taking on an undetermined opponent for the championship.

Both Nakamura and Styles have been involved in rumors that they’re heading to WWE. Styles finished up with the company at New Year Dash, with Nakamura stating that he’d be leaving after January. Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows are both rumored to be leaving for WWE as well.

Nakamura’s final show is expected to be January 30 at Korakuen Hall.

AJ Styles WWE Debut plans, Gallows & Anderson Update

Dave Meltzer reported in the latest issue of The Wrestling Observer that WWE was originally looking to debut AJ Styles in the Royal Rumble Match as a surprise, however he noted that plans might change now that it’s public that he’s WWE bound.

Doc Gallows noted on Twitter that he will be on the NJPW tour in February. He will team up with Karl Anderson to face Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma. Both of their contract expire at the end of the month, so that may be their last appearance for NJPW before heading to WWE.

Source: WrestlingINC.com

Are 2 More Bullet Club Members Leaving NJPW For WWE?

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that there are rumors that Bullet Club members Bad Luck Fale and Tama Tonga also may be leaving New Japan Pro Wrestling for WWE. However, as of this week they have not given their notices to NJPW.

It’s believed that Finn Balor, who is the creator and former leader of Bullet Club, suggested and recruited Fale and Tonga.

Latest On AJ Styles To WWE, Major Bullet Club Angle At NJPW Show, Rumors of more NJPW Talent Leaving

AJ Styles who is rumored to have given his notice to New Japan Pro Wrestling for a WWE main roster spot, has been pulled from advertising from several Ring of Honor shows, including the ROH 14th Anniversary PPV.

NJPW ran a angle where Bullet Club member Kenny Omega turned on AJ Styles after they defeated Shinsuke Nakamura and YOSHI-HASHI. the rest of Bullet Club including Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows also turned on Styles.

After the beatdown by the Bullet Club, Styles got to his feet and bowed to the crowd it what really seemed like a farewell for Styles, who has competed in NJPW since 2014, and took leadership of the Bullet Club after Finn Balor left.

 

Wrestling Observer Radio reports that there were also rumors that Rocky Romero and Tama Tonga may be leaving NJPW as well, but there is no word on if they have given their notices. Tonga is the son of legend Haku/Meng.

Source: WrestlingINC.com

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 10 Results

New Japan Rumble: Jushin “Thunder” Liger, Fujiwara, Tiger Mask, Cheeseburger, Hiro Saito, YOSHI-HASHI, Mascara Dorado, Captain New Japan, Manuba Nakanishi, Yuji Nagata, Satoshi Kojima, Hiroyoshi Tenzan, Ryusuke Taguchi, Shiro Koshinaka, King Haku, The Great Kabuki, The Gracie Hunter, Kazushi Sakuraba, Jado – Winner: Jado: What really stands out about this match was that Haku appeared in the match representing the Bullet Club and the legendary Great Kabuki was in the match.

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: (C) reDRagon VS Matt Sydal & Ricochet VS Roppongi Vice VS Bullet Club/The Young Bucks w/Cody Hall – Winners and new IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team champions The Young Bucks

NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship: Bullet Club (Bad Luck Fale, Toma Tonga & Yujiro Takahashi) VS Toru Yano & The Briscoes – Winners and new NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team champions Toru Yano & The Briscoes

ROH World Championship: (C) Jay Lethal w/Truth Martini VS Michael Elgin – Winner: Jay Lethal

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: (C) Kenny Omega w/The Young Bucks VS KUSHIDA – Winner and new IWGP Junior Heavyweight Champion KUSHIDA

IWGP Tag Team Championship: (C) Bullet Club (Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows) w/”Bullet Babe” Amber Gallows VS GBH (Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma) – Winners and new IWGP Tag Team Champions GBH

Hirooki Goto w/Captain New Japan VS Tetsuyta Naito w/Los Ingobernables – Winner: Hirooki Goto

NEVER Openweight Championship: Tomohiro Ishii VS Katsuyori Shibata – Winner and new NEVER Openweight Champion Katsuyori Shibata

IWGP Intercontinental Championship: (C) Shinsuke Nakamura VS AJ Styles – Winner: Shinsuke Nakamura

IWGP Heavyweight Championship: (C) “Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada VS Hiroshi Tanahashi – Winner: Kazuchika Okada

The Wrestling Breakdown Podcast From 1/2/16

If you missed The Wrestling Breakdown Podcast with Ed & Vanessa you can check it out here:

http://www.spreaker.com/user/edbostonpodcast/wrestling-breakdown-1-impact-wrestling-l

NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 10 Card 1/4/16

New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Wrestle Kingdom 10 live from the Tokyo Dome on January 4, 2016 at 3am ET on NJPWWorld.com. 

IWGP Heavyweight Championship: (C) “Rainmaker” Kazuchika Okada VS Hiroshi Tanahashi

IWGP Intercontinental Championship: (C) Shinsuke Nakamura VS AJ Styles

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Championship: (C) Kenny Omega VS KUSHIDA

IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship: (C) reDRagon VS Matt Sydal & Ricochet (aka Prince Puma in Lucha Underground) VS RPG Vice VS The Young Bucks

ROH World Championship: (C) Jay Lethal VS Michael Elgin

IWGP Tag Team Championship: (C) Bullet Club (Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows) VS GBH (Togi Makabe & Tomoaki Honma)

NEVER Openweight Championship: (C) Tomohiro Ishii VS Katsuyorin Shibata

(Newly created Title) NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Championship: Bullet Club (Bad Luck Fale, Tama Tonga & Yujiro Takahashi) VS Toru Yano & The Briscoes

Hirooki Goto VS Tetsuyta Naito

New Japan Rumble: Jushin “Thunder” Liger VS  Hiroyoshi Tenzan VS Jado VS Manabu Nakanishi VS Ryusuke Taguchi VS Satoshi Kojima VS Tiger Mask VS Yuji Nagata

NJPWWorld.com

 

WWE Looking To Sign Top NJPW Star?

WrestlingINC.com reports that WWE is apparently interested in signing IWGP intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura when his contract with New Japan Pro Wrestling is up in January.

Nakamura is 35 years old and is 6’2″ tall with great charisma and speaks English. A source close to Nakamura noted that it’s one of his dreams to do something big over in the U.S.

Currently Nakamura is scheduled to defend his IWGP Intercontinental Championship against AJ Styles at Wrestle Kingdom 10 on January 4, 2016 in the Tokyo Dome, however that match is in limbo because of Styles recent back issues.