11 Ups & 2 Downs From NJPW King Of Pro-Wrestling 2018

Downs...

2. A Laboured Bullet Club Brawl

Bullet Club Elite firing Squad
NJPW

After a series of dreadful, cringe-worthy angles throughout the G1 Climax, the Bullet Club's Firing Squad wing tasted post-tournament glory by scooping the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championships, and continued their way with the Elite-aligned sect last night.

It was Chase Owens, Hangman Page, and The Young Bucks against Taiji Ishimori, Bad Luck Fale, and the Guerrillas of Destiny. Slick, fast-flowing opening exchanges between Ishimori and Nick Jackson bred hope of a fun trios bout. Chaos erupted from there, with an eight-man brawl quickly spilling out of the ring, before the BC OGs took control, with Tama Tonga and Fale targeting the injured back Matt Jackson has been selling all year. The proverbial "numbers game" followed, the babyfaces offered flurries of excitement, and the Firing Squad eventually took the win with a combination Gun Stun by G.O.D.

Storyline considerations and a few athletic flashes aside, this was a nothing bout. The Guerrillas' in-ring character work remains hammy, their control periods are tedious, and 'Bad Match Fale' is an earned nickname. The Elite and Ishimori worked hard, but couldn't transcend a heel-friendly layout designed primarily to showcase three of NJPW's least interesting wrestlers.

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Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.