The Club (professional wrestling)

This article is about the WWE stable. For the NJPW stable, see Bullet Club.
The Club

From left to right: Anderson, Styles, and Gallows
Stable
Members AJ Styles (SmackDown)[1]
Luke Gallows (Raw)[2]
Karl Anderson (Raw)[3]
Name(s) The Club[4]
Combined
weight		 763 lb (346 kg)[1][2][3]
Debut May 2, 2016[5]
Years active 2016–present
Promotions WWE

The Club is a villianous professional wrestling stable performing in WWE, composed of Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson on Raw, and AJ Styles on SmackDown.[5] Originally all together as a trio, they debuted on the May 2, 2016, episode of Raw,[5] but made their official television debut as "The Club" on May 9.[4]

The stable draws inspiration from another professional wrestling group primarily active in the Japanese New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) promotion and the American Ring of Honor (ROH) promotion, known as "Bullet Club", in which Styles, Anderson and Gallows are all previous members of, with Styles and Anderson also former leaders.[6][7][8] All three departed NJPW and ROH in 2016 for WWE; Styles in January and Anderson and Gallows in April.[9]

History

Formation

"WWE did something it almost never does at least so blatantly, copy so closely a concept from another promotion which they all but admit on television with the New Japan references and using the members who helped get the group over. It's very much like if they had used Tully Blanchard & Arn Anderson & J.J. Dillon as the Horsemen, something they never considered at the time".

Wrestling Observer Newsletter editor Dave Meltzer on the May 16, 2016 issue[10]

Gallows wrestled for WWE before 2016, portraying several characters: the Impostor Kane, Festus, and Luke Gallows as part of The Straight Edge Society before WWE released him in 2010.[11][12]

In January 2016, on WWE.com, it was announced that A.J. Styles, Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows were in talks to debut/return in WWE, leaving NJPW.[13][14] After weeks of speculation,[9] on January 20, 2016, it was confirmed that Styles had signed with WWE.[15] Styles made his WWE pay-per-view debut on January 24, 2016, at the Royal Rumble pay-per-view during the Royal Rumble match for the WWE World Heavyweight Championship, entering at number three.[16][17]

On the April 11, 2016, episode of Raw, Anderson and Gallows (who returned to his Luke Gallows ring name) made their debut for WWE, attacking The Usos (Jimmy and Jey Uso).[18]

Feud with The Bloodline

"Anderson and Gallows have nearly had all the luster removed from them since their debut [...] [They] appear to be just another tag team that gets used as fodder whenever a main event story crosses their path [...] Roman Reigns gains next to nothing from beating Karl Anderson without first establishing that as an accomplishment".

Pro Wrestling Dot Net writer Jake Barnett after the May 5, 2016, SmackDown[19]

On the following week's Raw, WWE began teasing an alliance between Anderson and Gallows and their former Bullet Club stablemate AJ Styles when, after meeting Styles in a backstage interview, Anderson and Gallows attacked his Payback opponent Roman Reigns in the ring, however, Styles did not seem pleased with the attack.[18] Anderson and Gallows wrestled their first WWE match on the April 25 Raw, defeating The Usos.[20] Over the next weeks, Anderson and Gallows continued teasing an uneasy alliance with Styles, while having several face offs with The Usos and Reigns, including at Payback, where the two failed in their attempt to help Styles capture the WWE World Heavyweight Championship from Reigns.[21]

This led to a feud between the trio of Anderson, Gallows and Styles and the trio of Reigns and The Usos; after Styles' trio beat Reigns' trio on the May 2 Raw, Anderson and Gallows wanted Styles to hit Reigns with a chair, but Styles refused, resulting in The Usos attacking Styles from behind with a chair, and Styles retaliating with the chair, but ultimately, Reigns established his dominance by executing a powerbomb on Styles through the announce table.[4] On the same week's SmackDown, the two trios had a rematch where Reigns pinned Anderson for Anderson's first WWE loss.[22] On the next week's Raw, with Anderson, Gallows and Styles now named as "The Club", Reigns and The Usos beat them in a six-man elimination tag team match: Jey Uso, then Anderson, Jimmy Uso, and Gallows were pinned, and finally Styles was disqualified when Anderson interfered to prevent Reigns repeating his announce table powerbomb on Styles.[4] On the May 12 SmackDown, The Usos defeated Anderson and Gallows via disqualification, but Anderson and Gallows came up top in the post-match brawl with neither Reigns nor Styles appearing to help.[23] On the May 16 episode of Raw, The Usos defeated Anderson and Gallows via pinfall.[24] At Extreme Rules, Gallows and Anderson defeated The Usos in a tornado tag team match, whilst later in the night Styles lost to Reigns in an Extreme Rules match.[25] The next night on Raw, Styles told Gallows and Anderson that they should go their separate ways and remain friends, but Anderson and Gallows refused and ended their friendship with Styles.[26]

Feud with John Cena and Styles' championship success

On the May 30 Memorial Day episode of Raw, John Cena returned from his injury, and was confronted by Styles, who welcomed him back, and were then interrupted by Gallows and Anderson, who proclaimed they would beat them up. Once Gallows and Anderson reached the ring, Styles turned heel and the trio ganged up on Cena, with Styles brutally attacking Cena several times, effectively reuniting The Club.[27] This set up a match between Styles and Cena at Money in the Bank, while Gallows and Anderson would start pursuing the WWE Tag Team Championship.[28] At the event, Gallows and Anderson were unsuccessful in winning the WWE Tag Team Championship against Enzo Amore and Big Cass, The New Day, and The Vaudevillains for the WWE Tag Team Championship, but Styles defeated Cena in a singles match, after Anderson and Gallows attacked Cena while the referee was knocked out, allowing Styles to pin Cena for the win.[29] On the July 4 episode of Raw, The Club would attack Cena again as Styles stated that they would "beat up John Cena", but were stopped by Enzo and Big Cass, thus leading to a six-man tag team match between the two teams at Battleground.[30]

The Club was "separated" in the 2016 WWE draft, when Styles was drafted to SmackDown, while Anderson and Gallows were drafted to Raw, resulting in Battleground being The Club's final night as a trio where they lost to John Cena, Enzo Amore and Big Cass.[31][32] On July 21, Styles stated on his Twitter account that The Club was not disbanded, but that it was instead getting "expanded", thus he is still considered a member of The Club despite operating separately from Anderson and Gallows.[33][34] At SummerSlam, the trio briefly reunited in a backstage segment, including an appearance by former Bullet Club leader Finn Bálor.[35] At the same event, Styles defeated Cena in a clean finish,[36] while Gallows and Anderson ended in a disqualification win over The New Day when Anderson was attacked by the returning Big E.[37] Due to his victory at SummerSlam, Styles immediately re-entered the now renamed WWE World Championship picture and received another opportunity at the title at Backlash against champion Dean Ambrose, where Styles defeated Ambrose to become the WWE World Champion for the first time in his career.[38] Gallows and Anderson received two more shots at the newly renamed Raw Tag Team Championship, first on September 25 at Clash of Champions and then the following night on Raw, but were both times defeated by members of The New Day.[39][40] Meanwhile, Styles was successful in retaing the WWE World Championship on the September 27 episode of SmackDown against Ambrose,[41] and on October 9 at No Mercy against both Ambrose and Cena.[42]

In wrestling

Anderson and Gallows' Magic Killer
Styles' Styles Clash

Championships and accomplishments

See also

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 "AJ Styles". WWE. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  2. 1 2 3 "Luke Gallows". WWE. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  3. 1 2 3 "Karl Anderson|Finn BALOR WWE". Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  4. 1 2 3 4 Caldwell, James. "5/9 WWE Raw Results". PWTorch.com. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  5. 1 2 3 Powell, Jason. "05/02 Powell's WWE Raw Live TV Review". prowrestling.net. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  6. ↑ 5月度のスマホサイトは、いま一番悪いヤツら"Bullet Club"が完全ジャック!!　アンダーソンの心中は?. New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). April 30, 2014. Retrieved May 1, 2014.
  7. ↑ "The Bullet Club are coming to WotW & Global Wars". Ring of Honor. April 16, 2015. Retrieved April 16, 2015.
  8. ↑ "Power Struggle". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved November 7, 2015.
  9. 1 2 Clapp, John (January 5, 2016). "Are AJ Styles, Shinsuke Nakamura, Karl Anderson and Doc Gallows coming to WWE?". WWE. Archived from the original on January 6, 2016. Retrieved January 6, 2016.
  10. ↑ Meltzer, Dave (May 16, 2016). "May 16, 2016 Wrestling Observer newsletter: Potential UFC sale, WWE releases, plus tons of news". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Campbell, California: 12. ISSN 1083-9593.
  11. ↑ "CM Punk On The WWE Release Of Luke Gallows". Wrestleview. November 20, 2010. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  12. ↑ "Former WWE wrestler Luke Gallows recalls being in Straight Edge Society with C.M. Punk, portraying the impostor Kane, and working as Festus". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. March 21, 2011. Retrieved May 21, 2016.
  13. ↑ Rose, Bryan (January 4, 2016). "NJPW stars Nakamura, AJ Styles, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson headed to WWE". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  14. ↑ Caldwell, James (January 4, 2016). "PWTorch Report – Four big names leaving New Japan, heading to WWE". Pro Wrestling Torch. Archived from the original on January 5, 2016. Retrieved January 4, 2016.
  15. ↑ "TNA releases details on A.J. Styles talks – insight on how this played out". Pro Wrestling Torch. January 22, 2016. Archived from the original on January 28, 2016. Retrieved January 23, 2016.
  16. ↑ "WWE Network: AJ Styles makes his WWE debut in the Royal Rumble Match: Royal Rumble 2016". January 24, 2016. Retrieved January 24, 2016.
  17. ↑ Caldwell, James. "1/24 WWE Royal Rumble PPV Results – CALDWELL's Complete Live PPV Report". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  18. 1 2 Caldwell, James (April 18, 2016). "4/18 Raw News & Notes – Bullet Club Week 2 teaser & Reigns addresses "club" status, Wyatts M.I.A., Ambrose-Jericho, tourney, Bret Hart, Natalya, Miz TV". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved April 19, 2016.
  19. ↑ Barnett, Jake (May 5, 2016). "5/5 Barnett's WWE Smackdown TV Review: AJ Styles, Karl Anderson, and Luke Gallows vs. Roman Reigns and The Usos, Sami Zayn on Chris Jericho's Highlight Reel". Pro Wrestling Dot Net. Retrieved May 6, 2016.
  20. ↑ Caldwell, James (April 25, 2016). "4/25 WWE Raw Results – Caldwell's Complete Live TV Report". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved April 25, 2016.
  21. ↑ Caldwell, James (May 1, 2016). "5/1 WWE Payback Results – Caldwell's Complete Live Report". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved May 6, 2016.
  22. ↑ Plummer, Dale. "Smackdown!:AJ Styles joins Anderson and Gallows to take on The Usos and Roman Reigns". Canoe.ca. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  23. ↑ Khan, Steve. "WWE Smackdown results: Cesaro & Sami Zayn vs. Kevin Owens & The Miz". f4wonline.com. Retrieved 18 May 2016.
  24. ↑ "The Usos def. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson". www.wwe.com.
  25. ↑ Caldwell, James (May 22, 2016). "5/22 WWE Extreme Rules PPV Results – Caldwell's Complete Live Report". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved May 22, 2016.
  26. ↑ Caldwell, James. "5/23 WWE Raw TV Results – Caldwell's Complete Live Report". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved May 23, 2016.
  27. ↑ Caldwell, James (May 30, 2016). "5/30 WWE Raw Results – Caldwell's Complete Live TV Report". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved May 31, 2016.
  28. ↑ Caldwell, James (June 6, 2016). "6/6 WWE Raw Results – Caldwell's Complete Live TV Report". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
  29. ↑ Caldwell, James. "6/19 WWE MITB PPV Results – Caldwell's Complete Live Report". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved June 19, 2016.
  30. ↑ Caldwell, James. "7/4 WWE Raw Results – Caldwell's Complete Live TV Report". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved July 4, 2016.
  31. ↑ Caldwell, James (July 19, 2016). "2016 WWE Draft Picks – Complete Raw & SD Draftboard". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved July 19, 2016.
  32. ↑ Caldwell, James (July 24, 2016). "7/24 WWE Battleground Results – CALDWELL'S Complete Report". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved July 24, 2016.
  33. ↑ AJStyles.Org [AjStylesOrg] (July 21, 2016). "Ha! Some may think The Club has split up. We've expanded, no one is safe!" (Tweet). Retrieved July 25, 2016 – via Twitter.
  34. ↑ Killam, Mike (July 22, 2016). "The Club Has Not Been Disbanded & "No One Is Safe"; AJ Styles Talks New Action Figure & Expansion of The Club". Wrestlezone. Retrieved July 25, 2016.
  35. ↑ Caldwell, James. "8/21 WWE Summerslam Results – CALDWELL'S Complete Live Report". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved August 21, 2016.
  36. ↑ Adkins, Greg. "AJ Styles def. John Cena". WWE. Retrieved August 21, 2016.
  37. ↑ Artus, Matthew. "Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson def. WWE Tag Team Champions The New Day via disqualification". WWE. Retrieved August 21, 2016.
  38. ↑ Caldwell, James. "9/11 WWE Backlash Results – CALDWELL'S Complete PPV Report". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved September 11, 2016.
  39. ↑ Benigno, Anthony. "Raw Tag Team Champions The New Day def. Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson". WWE. Retrieved September 25, 2016.
  40. ↑ Hamlin, Jeff (September 26, 2016). "WWE Raw live results: Clash of Champions fallout". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved September 27, 2016.
  41. ↑ Parks, Greg. "9/27 WWE Smackdown LIVE – Parks's Complete, Real-Time Report". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved September 27, 2016.
  42. ↑ Melok, Bobby. "WWE World Champion AJ Styles def. Dean Ambrose and John Cena". WWE. Retrieved October 9, 2016.
  43. ↑ Caldwell, James (May 17, 2014). "Caldwell's ROH iPPV results 5/17: Complete "virtual-time" coverage of War of the Worlds - ROH Title & IWGP Title main events, new ROH tag champs, Steen vs. Nakamura, more". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved May 17, 2014.
  44. ↑ Caldwell, James (April 6, 2014). "Caldwell's NJPW PPV results 4/6: Complete "virtual-time" coverage of "Invasion Attack 2014" - Nakamura regains IC Title, A.J. Styles big angle, new NWA tag champions, more". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
  45. ↑ "World Tag League 2013". New Japan Pro Wrestling (in Japanese). Retrieved April 14, 2016.
  46. ↑ "Full Raw results, April 11, 2016: Reigns and Wyatt forge uneasy alliance in main event". WWE. Retrieved April 14, 2016.
  47. ↑ Tedesco, Mike (April 18, 2016). "WWE RAW Results – 4/18/16 (Return to London, Dean Ambrose vs. Kevin Owens headlines, new matches set for Payback)". Wrestleview. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
  48. ↑ Meltzer, Dave (May 1, 2016). "WWE Payback live results: Roman Reigns vs. AJ Styles; Kevin Owens vs. Sami Zayn". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
  49. ↑ Benigno, Anthony (May 2, 2016). "AJ Styles, Luke Gallows & Karl Anderson def. WWE World Heavyweight Champion Roman Reigns & The Usos". WWE. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
  50. ↑ Hamlin, Jeff (May 2, 2016). "WWE Raw live results: Reigns vs Styles Extreme Rules, Stephanie and Shane". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Retrieved May 3, 2016.
  51. ↑ Barnett, Jake (May 12, 2016). "5/12 Barnett's WWE Smackdown TV Review: Sami Zayn and Cesaro vs. The Miz and Kevin Owens, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows vs. The Usos, Becky Lynch vs. Dana Brooke". ProWrestling.Net. Retrieved June 7, 2016.
  52. ↑ Parks, Greg (2010-01-08). "Parks' WWE SmackDown Report 1/8: Ongoing "virtual time" coverage of the show, including Batista vs. Rey Mysterio for a shot at the World Title". Pro Wrestling Torch. Retrieved 2010-01-13.
  53. ↑ "NEW JAPAN PRO WRESTLING PRIMER: EVERYTHING YOU NEED TO BE PREPARED FOR TONIGHT'S PPV By Matthew Macklin".
  54. ↑ Shore, Chris (April 25, 2013). "4/25 Shore's TNA Impact Wrestling live coverage: Mickie James vs. Velvet Shy for the Knockouts Championship, AJ Styles still needs to pick a side, and Bully Ray is face-to-face with Hulk Hogan". ProWrestling.Net. Retrieved May 16, 2016.
  55. ↑ "AJ STYLES TALKS JERICHO, THE POTENTIAL OF BULLET CLUB IN WWE AND MORE". Pro Wrestling Insider. Retrieved March 26, 2016.
  56. ↑ Martin, Adam (2009-09-20). "TNA No Surrender Results – 9/20/09". WrestleView. Retrieved 2009-12-19.
  57. ↑ "Thunder report on March 21, 2001".
  58. ↑ "Caldwell's TNA Impact Results 9/12: Complete "virtual-time" coverage of "No Surrender" Impact - Bully defends TNA Title, BFG Series Finals, more".
  59. ↑ "WWE: Omen In the Sky (Gallows & Anderson) - Single". WWE Music Group. iTunes. April 29, 2016. Retrieved April 29, 2016.
  60. ↑ "WWE: Phenomenal (AJ Styles) - Single". iTunes. Retrieved January 29, 2016.
  61. 1 2 3 "Pro Wrestling Illustrated (PWI) 500 for 2016". The Internet Wrestling Database. Retrieved September 1, 2016.
  62. ↑ "WWE World Championship". Retrieved September 11, 2016.
This article is issued from Wikipedia - version of the 11/30/2016. The text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution/Share Alike but additional terms may apply for the media files.