The influence of the Bullet Club on modern professional wrestling is undeniable, and AEW President Tony Khan recently took time to acknowledge the faction’s pivotal role in the industry. Speaking to Baby Huey on The Bone 107.7, Khan discussed the group’s history and its direct ties to the formation of All Elite Wrestling.
A Lineage Linked to AEW’s Origins
AEW launched in 2019 largely off the backs of “The Elite”—Cody Rhodes, Kenny Omega, and The Young Bucks—who rose to global prominence as key members of the Bullet Club in New Japan Pro-Wrestling. Their popularity in NJPW proved that there was a hungry market for alternative wrestling, eventually leading to the creation of AEW. While the faction has evolved and splintered over the years, currently featuring members like Gabe Kidd and Clark Connors who are feuding with Darby Allin in AEW, the original spirit of the group remains part of the company’s DNA.
“The Bullet Club has a phenomenal and very rich history of some of the greatest wrestlers that I’ve ever seen. It’s a very rich history that is closely tied to AEW’s own legacy,” Khan stated during the interview.
Khan’s comments come at a time when the Bullet Club’s identity is once again shifting. With the “Bang Bang Gang” (Jay White and The Gunns) representing a Gold version in AEW and the “War Dogs” running wild in Japan, the faction’s footprint remains massive. Khan’s recognition serves as a reminder that without the black-and-white t-shirts of the mid-2010s, the current wrestling landscape might look very different.
