Over the years, fans have seen the Bullet Club name extend far beyond its origins in New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW), appearing in multiple companies and iterations — from the group’s original home base in Japan to AEW’s Bullet Club Gold and beyond. The stable’s long-running influence has made it one of wrestling’s most enduring and recognizable brands.
According to a new report from Fightful Select, the Bullet Club name and concept remain the sole intellectual property of NJPW. However, New Japan has historically been open to allowing wrestlers and other promotions to make use of the name under specific terms. The report notes that while the company retains full rights to market, license, and sell official Bullet Club merchandise, performers with legitimate ties to the group are often granted some creative latitude to reference or utilize the faction’s identity elsewhere.
That policy has helped make sense of how former Bullet Club leader Jay White was able to bring the Bullet Club Gold moniker with him when forming his faction in AEW. The group later underwent a rebranding to become The Bang Bang Gang, which currently features White, Juice Robinson, Colten Gunn, Austin Gunn, and Ace Austin. At the moment, both White and Colten Gunn are reportedly out of action due to injuries.
During the Crown Jewel: Perth pay-per-view event, John Cena wrote a personalized introduction for AJ Styles, introducing him as “the ace and undisputed boss of the Bullet Club.”
