Finn Balor Explains How He Came Up With Bullet Club Name, Possible Alternatives

Finn Balor has recalled how he created the Bullet Club name, the iconic faction that has ruled NJPW for the last decade. 

In a recent interview with "Sports Illustrated" to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the founding of the legendary faction, Balor said that he came up with the name by figuring out everything that tied all the members together.

"I was trying to pick a name that tied us all together," said Balor. "Karl was 'The Machine Gun,' Fale had been calling his finisher the Hand Grenade, and Minoru Suzuki had been calling me a 'real shooter' for some months as we would roll submission wrestling in the ring before the shows." 

The former WWE Universal Champion also revealed he had crafted a few different names for the new group, which included "Reload Club," "Getaway Club," and "Lock 'n' Load Club/Parade." 

He finally chose the Bullet Club name as it sounded the coolest, but had one apprehension about the name. "However, I had mild concerns as the Japanese would sometimes mispronounce 'bullet' as 'beret.' But I chose to go with my gut, and the rest is history."

Balor — who went by the ring name Prince Devitt in Japan — founded the faction along with Tama Tonga, Karl Anderson, and Bad Luck Fale, and was the first leader of the group. After Balor left NJPW to join WWE, AJ Styles — who would later go on to join WWE — replaced him as the leader. Balor created a variation of the group in WWE called Balor Club, which included Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson, while the AJ Styles-led group, The OC, includes the duo and Michin.

Several big-time wrestlers have all been members of NJPW's Bullet Club, which includes the likes of Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks, Adam Cole, Cody Rhodes, and Jeff Jarrett, to name a few.