SANADA joins the Bullet Club at NJPW Power Struggle

An interesting turn happened at NJPW Power Struggle, as SANADA has become the newest member of the Bullet Club. This was a shocking development as SANADA has been one of those NJPW names that fans want to see excel but he struggles to keep any momentum. This turn caught many off guard and has the potential to be a fresh look at one of NJPW’s most important names.

Taichi was locked in a battle against David Finlay for the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship. It looked like Taichi was about to take the victory, but the referee was pulled out of the ring by SANADA, who would then reveal he was wearing a Bullet Club War Dogs t-shirt. Finlay would take the advantage and then pick up the victory.

Rewind back to January 2024 and SANADA’s IWGP World Heavyweight Championship came to an end. It was a title victory that felt long overdue, as he was one of those names NJPW looked to as a potential pillar for the future. New Japan currently struggles to keep top names on the roster, as several like Will Ospreay, Kazuchika Okada, and others have made the jump to All Elite Wrestling. While the two promotions work closely together, there’s still a void at the top of NJPW that many thought SANADA would fill. That wasn’t quite the case and his title run is widely seen as underwhelming.

In many ways, SANADA should be a power player not only in New Japan, but all pro wrestling. He’s 36 years old, standing six feet and weighing 220 pounds. That’s the near “perfect” mold for the men’s division. SANADA has a committed fanbase, look back to the reaction he received when he finally got his big championship win. Yet, it hasn’t translated into the major run many expected.

SANADA turned heads by joining the Bullet Club at NJPW Power Struggle. Perhaps this is the big turn that will create a fresh look for the former champion. He needs it if he’s going to finally ascend to being the one to carry the promotion as its top Japanese talent.