AJ Styles has once again rejected the idea that he was the leader of Bullet Club during his time in NJPW.
Styles addressed the subject in a new SPORF interview conducted by James Sweetnam, saying the group’s own philosophy kept its members from following any one person.
“See, everybody thinks I was the leader of the Bullet Club. I never said that I was the leader of the Bullet Club. You could say I was the leader of the Bullet Club, but our thing when I was in the Bullet Club is that we didn’t follow anybody, including whoever the leader was. So we were the Bullet Club.”
The remarks are in line with a position Styles has held for years. In a 2016 interview with Sports Illustrated, he said he was never the leader and that Bullet Club did not follow anyone. He did acknowledge that Finn Bálor could be considered a leader of the group’s original lineup.
Styles joined Bullet Club in April 2014, shortly after Prince Devitt left NJPW. His debut with the group came at Invasion Attack, where an attack on Kazuchika Okada set him on the path to the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. Styles went on to win the title twice during his NJPW run.
Styles’ Bullet Club tenure ended in January 2016. At New Year Dash, Kenny Omega hit him with the One-Winged Angel before the rest of the group joined in kicking him out. Omega had a message for Styles that night.
“They called you the leader, well now you’ve been fired.”
That night marked Styles’ final match in NJPW before he headed to WWE. He retired from in-ring competition in January of this year after losing to Gunther at the Royal Rumble.