How I Would Book: Bullet Club Civil War

Following on from my previous booking post on Shota Umino I've caught a bug for fantasy booking. One of the main issues I think is with pushing Gabe Kidd. Now this isn't a case of the person themselves I think Gabe Kidd is great and clearly so do New Japan I mean January 5th he is facing Kenny Omega in the Tokyo Dome it is more of the face I wonder if New Japan will go full force in gabe Kidd when he isn't the main guy in his stable? Sure we have had times when the non leader of a group has won the big one like Shingo as World Heavyweight Champion but it isn't a regular thing. So how do you have two big faces of a faction deal with each other. Well maybe finally we actually have a real Bullet Club Civil War for once. 

Having always been teased with Kenny and Cody and then Kenny and Tama Tonga but never really happening I think it is time to do as such. Forget Rouge Army and House of Torture (if they still count) this is a story using simply the War Dogs and the Main Bullet Club unit. Unlike the Shota Umino booking I don't have the timeline of events just the basic idea so this one might be a little more brief. 

Changes to War Dogs

If it wasn't obvious enough the main idea here would be Gabe Kidd taking leadership and kicking David Finlay out and with this causes changes. I have made reference before that I think New Japan of America needs a pathway to the main shows and I would add Matt Vandagriff to Bullet Club and move Drilla Moloney to Heavyweight. Now I know the idea is Drilla at Junior Heavyweight to be one of the harder hitters there but I think he's missing a trick not being a heavyweight (and probably a payday) if they aren't going to have win be Junior Heavyweight champion then it is time to move up. One other man I would bring in is the current Undisputed British Heavyweight Champion Luke Jacobs. While I did debate between if you would also bring his tag partner in Ethan Allen in as well I decided not, this was mainly because he'd just be there as the guy who takes the pinfalls for Luke Jacobs. I do feel that New Japan would prefer Luke Jacobs by himself as he is a singles champion and has had multiple singles matches with Ishii in the 18 months. I just think on his own he is primed to be a key NEVER Openweight contender to bring back that hard hitting notes of this title and really he fits New Japan like a glove.

So tensions would be around two things. The ever expanding War Dogs roster and the IWGP Global Title. The begin with obviously when you have a good thing you keep adding to it which we have seen with the War Dogs. Honestly, I got bringing Jake Lee in somewhat with the injury and retirement of Alex Coughlin that you would need a tag partner for Gabe Kidd but SANADA? I dunno it just feels a weird move for the man who walked into the Tokyo Dome this year as World Heavyweight Champion. He has moved from that to Gabe Kidd's tag partner because Jake Lee is hurt. I dunno it is such a fall and honestly he doesn't really suit the War Dogs, I didn't think Jake Lee did either but I started to find him and Gabe Kidd's work together until his injury. As far as a split go the one's out of the group would be Finlay, Gedo & SANADA. The other part revolves around the IWGP Global Title. I personally believe that we will see Yuya Uemura as the one to win that title from David Finlay in the end. After that I think Gabe Kidd should win, his work deserves an actual title run New Japan really care about and not one of the American titles. I think when Gabe Kidd wins you can set up him vs. Finlay in having it be that David Finlay does not congratulate him the same as other War Dogs members do but says he is next up for his rematch for the title. 

You can have the match and with Gabe winning and then the split I think it means more if at least someone backs Finlay which is why I would keep Gedo with him. Thinking on them as a patnership I don't see Gedo & Gabe really working and we aren't turning Finlay face really so might as well keep them together. From that point I think you can have a fun reveal where Gabe thinks he and War Dogs (as I would have them drop Bullet Club from their name) have Finlay & SANADA outnumbered until they are joined by the Bullet Club main unit. Now, I know they are a weaker team but I still think KENTA and especially Ishimorii hold name value and can be used in strong positions (and personally a SANADA & KENTA team would be interesting). While I know it looks like I am favouring Gabe Kidd (I am) I think it could also be a good point to help juice up the main Bullet Club name as well. In the end I think it depends on who New Japan see as the main guy of Gabe and Finlay for if Gabe keeps the Global title or Finlay becomes a 3 time Global Champion. After that you have two stables ready to use and create new feuds with. 

At the end of the day the War Dogs have fallen into the same trap Bullet Club did. Too many people being added taking away from the strengths of the original group. While change in stables is always needed to freshen things up I feel the ideas of War Dogs have been lost over time. What I'm proposing would be to split the team have a faction with one of your main acts you clearly want to push heavily going into 2025 and one who is a top star to be used to raise the level of some floundering and just finally do that Bullet Club civil war you've started but never pulled the trigger on.