5 Most Insane Things Happening In Wrestling Right Now (Feb 2)

3. Bullet Club Shot Down

LOCKED DOWN
Tokyo Sport

At NJPW The New Beginning In Sapporo Day 2, Jay White dethroned NJPW United States Champion Kenny Omega, immediately following which Hangman Page, as is tradition, announced himself as the new challenger. His Bullet Club leader Omega petitioned for a rematch. This sent Cody, gunning for the Bullet Club leadership, into an apoplectic rage. A tense showdown unfolded, in the midst of which Omega shoved Matt Jackson to the floor, exacerbating his back injury. Both Bucks took a powder in order to diffuse the situation. Equipped with the knowledge that he had orchestrated this situation perfectly, Cody, the snake, uncoiled and struck, flooring Omega with the Cross Rhodes...

...at which point Kota Ibushi, Omega's former Golden Lovers partner, sent the scorched remnants of the Club running. Omega sold his heartbreak at this coup and his conflict over the reunion beautifully. Beautiful is the word; there was genuine, elusive emotion in their eventual embrace under falling confetti. The closing moments of Being The Elite, in which a stark piano number played over Omega and Ibushi's clandestine hotel meeting with the Bucks, drove home this pathos.

The Bullet Club isn't just an irony-fuelled exercise in merchandise shilling; this shattering break-up angle, from which at least two money matches may materialise, confirmed that New Japan Pro Wrestling, written off in some circles as a dry series of straight-laced sporting exhibitions, is capable of delivering masterful, gripping and mysterious storytelling.

New Japan, the wrestling league, just delivered the best angle of the entire year - confirming that, on both sides of the planet, this is a wonderful time to call oneself a wrestling fan.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Sidgwick is an editor, writer and podcaster for WhatCulture Wrestling. With over seven years of experience in wrestling analysis, Michael was published in the influential institution that was Power Slam magazine, and specialises in providing insights into All Elite Wrestling - so much so that he wrote a book about the subject. You can order Becoming All Elite: The Rise Of AEW on Amazon. Possessing a deep knowledge also of WWE, WCW, ECW and New Japan Pro Wrestling, Michael’s work has been publicly praised by former AEW World Champions Kenny Omega and MJF, and current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. When he isn’t putting your finger on why things are the way they are in the endlessly fascinating world of professional wrestling, Michael wraps his own around a hand grinder to explore the world of specialty coffee. Follow Michael on X (formerly known as Twitter) @MSidgwick for more!