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What to expect from WWE's recent rumored NJPW signings

New Japan seemed poised for yet another strong year in 2016 when the curtain closed on Wrestle Kingdom 10 with Kazuchika Okada as the current IWGP Heavyweight Champion and new ace of the company. That was on January 4. Now, less than a week later, all the plans are in flux with the rumors of four prominent New Japan stars reportedly on their way to WWE all now but confirmed. Bullet Club tag team Doc Gallows, Machine Gun Karl Anderson as well as the leader of the Bullet Club, A.J. Styles, and current IWGP Intercontinental Champion Shinsuke Nakamura are four of the biggest names in wrestling and would all bring something unique to the WWE, so for those of you who haven’t heard about them or just want to salivate over the future for them in a WWE ring, here’s an in depth look at them.

A.J. Styles

Styles’ name has been on the lips of many WWE fans ever since his 2014 departure from TNA. Along with Samoa Joe and Christopher Daniels, the 38-year old is credited with building up the promotion, holding every belt at least once. After 12 years spent in TNA, differences with the promotion led to the split with Styles taking his talents to New Japan in 2014.

His impact was immediate as he won the IWGP Heavyweight Championship in his first match against Okada and took over the Bullet Club from recently departed Prince Devitt (now known as Finn Balor, current NXT champion). But that wasn’t his best match in New Japan, or even with Okada, the best happened at Dominion 7.5. Styles also made a cameo in WWE back in the day when he had a match against The Hurricane in 2002 but aside from that and another dark match he has never been signed to a WWE contract.

Styles made his name in the X Division of TNA, which is basically their version of the cruiserweights, with highflying moves, like the springboard 450. But recently in New Japan he's reinvented himself as a more mat-based wrestler, utilizing a new Calf Killer submission move, but no less brilliant. It’ll be interesting if the WWE continues to let him use his controversial Styles Clash finisher with the injury concerns that still follow it.

Since he is coming over with two other members of the Bullet Club the easiest conclusion is that they are bringing the stable over, maybe with the help of a certain aforementioned demon down in NXT. But he has enough personality to do whatever is asked of him. Styles could be the Authority's next chosen one and play the slimy heel or he can be the the company's babyfaced golden boy. There really is no limit for him, but if recent events have shown us anything, being a main event heel is his true calling.

His arrival date is still unknown but with the Royal Rumble just weeks away, he very well could be a surprise entry at that event. Whatever the date may be, two matches come to mind for future A.J. Styles, one is currently injured Seth Rollins. These two are so similar that their match couldn’t help being good with their mixture of aerial moves and athletic ability. The other is obviously Finn Balor, two former Bullet Club leaders. It could be for the right to lead WWE’s version of the stable or it could be an Old Bullet Club vs. New Balor Club. Any of these scenarios would lead to great matches and of course awesome showmanship.

Shinsuke Nakamura

While A.J. Styles has the name recognition of the US fans, if you’ve paid attention to Dave Meltzer and his match ratings Nakamura’s name should be very familiar. Nakamura has spent his whole 14 year career with New Japan winning their Intercontinental Championship five times and the Heavyweight Championship three times including becoming the youngest wrestler in history to win the title. And if you think that means he's a midcard guy because of the Intercontinental Championships, just know that on New Japan’s version of Wrestlemania, Wrestle Kingdom 8, the fans voted the IC title as the main event over the Heavyweight Championship, that’s how popular this man made that title.

Oh, and he’s also a legit MMA fighter, as he has amassed a 3-1 record with his only loss against Daniel Gracie. He uses that MMA background a lot in the ring, as his finisher is a straight up knee to the head, usually more than once, which earned him the nickname ‘King of Strong Style’. He can also pull out submissions like he has a prehensile tail. And when you combine those skills with someone who can make an entrance like this, you have a transcendent superstar. But if you need more convincing, then stop reading and watch this match with Kota Ibushi from Wrestle Kingdom 9 right now.

When someone has that much charisma it translates well, even if they don’t speak the language, which bodes well for his future. Plus he already has a one-word catchphrase good enough for the States. He’s a leader of a stable in New Japan called CHAOS and it wouldn’t be a shock to see him join one in the WWE, that way he can be the charismatic leader with someone else as the mouthpiece.

He told Tokyo Sports that the plan is for him to leave at the end of January but when he would debut in the WWE or NXT is still up in the air. His age, 35, may work against him and doesn’t really help WWE in the distant future, but he is someone who can carry the brand’s popularity overseas immediately. With his flair for pageantry it’s hard not to dream of a Nakamura vs. Balor match at a future Wrestlemania. And with their shared background a dream match with his former roommate Daniel Bryan, health permitting would also be high on the list. Bryan, for his part, is certainly into the idea. But it’s another match that is a must happen even though it’s happened once before. And that’s a match with another person with a legit MMA background, the Beast Incarnate, Brock Lesnar.

Doc Gallows and Karl Anderson

These two have been the dominant tag team in the Heavyweight division in NJPW since Gallows signed with New Japan in November of 2013. They’ve held the IWGP Tag Team Championship three times, holding the titles for 600 total days out of the 761 they’ve been a team. They also won New Japan’s World Tag League in 2013.

Gallows might be familiar to some WWE followers as he had a three-year run with the company from 2007-10 as Festus of the Jesse and Festus tag team and then as Straight Edge Society member Luke Gallows. He was also part of the historically bad Aces & Eights stable in TNA before making his way to Japan. While Anderson has spent most of his career in Japan even winning the IWGP Tag Team Championships with Giant Bernard aka Prince Albert aka NXT head trainer Matt Bloom.

Neither of them are young by wrestling standards. Gallows is 32 and Anderson 35, but they both have a lot left in the tank. They have great practice at being heels considering that a good portion of their audience can't understand what they say so they have to really amp up the body language and mannerisms. Although considering how many fans the Bullet Club have here, it’s doubtful that they will continue to be heels.

Their style isn’t for everyone though as it can be a very methodical and deliberate brawling type. Plus their finisher, the Magic Killer, won't blow you away but it’s at least different from WWE fans typically see each week on Raw. It’s pretty unimaginable that they would be doing anything other than the Bullet Club stable in WWE, but expect them to be a major part of the tag team division regardless. And with the way that WWE has brought along their other big signees it is reasonable to expect them to first appear in NXT. If you want to get a glimpse of what this team has to offer watch their Wrestle Kingdom 9 match against Hirooki Goto & Katsuyori Shibata. The one dream match for the duo would have to be against any combination of the Wyatt Family. Gallows and Anderson have been used to being the monsters in Japan so it would be great to see them up against the monsters of WWE, especially since the Wyatts are probably the WWE comp for Gallows and Anderson.

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