NJPW/ROH News: Young Bucks reveal the original plans for the "leader vs leader" story in the Bullet Club

What’s the story?

While recently speaking with ESPN, ahead of this Sunday’s NJPW: Strong Style Evolved pay-per-view, Matt and Nick Jackson—collectively known as The Young Bucks—revealed the original plans for the “Alpha Male vs Alpha Male” storyline within the Bullet Club.

In case you didn’t know…

Bullet Club members Kenny Omega and Cody Rhodes are currently a part of one of the biggest and most exciting storylines in the world of pro wrestling today as the two men are seemingly seen causing a dissension within the Bullet Club by disputing against each other in order to gain leadership of the group.

The initial dispute within Cody and Omega started way back last year, when “The American Nightmare” unsuccessfully challenged Kazuchika Okada for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.

However, earlier this year, Cody Rhodes along with fellow Bullet Club member Hangman Page seemingly turned their backs on former leader Kenny Omega, following “The Cleaner’s” IWGP US Heavyweight Title loss to “Switchblade” Jay White.

The heart of the matter

During their interview with ESPN, former seven-time IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Champions, Matt and Nick Jackson stated that the original plans for the “leader vs leader” storyline within the Bullet Club was supposed to be between Kenny Omega and former three-time Ring of Honor World Champion Adam Cole, who is now a former member of the group.

Nick Jackson said:

"It was supposed to be Kenny and Adam Cole, to be honest. That was the first original BC split that we pictured. But Adam left to WWE, so we're like, 'Man, we need to do it, but who could we do it with?'"

As noted, in early 2017, Cole began showing tension with Bullet Club stablemate and then leader Kenny Omega with The Young Bucks caught in the middle (something which is currently being replicated in the storyline between Cody and Omega).

However, after having a conflict of sorts with “The Cleaner”, Cole tried to fire The Young Bucks from Bullet Club, but the two responded by stating that Omega, not Cole, was the leader of the stable and during the third night of the ROH/NJPW: War of the Worlds tour.

Adam Cole’s days as a member of the Bullet Club were eventually over after the former ROH World Champion was fired from the stable by Kenny Omega and was replaced by “The Villain” Marty Scurll.

Matt Jackson opined:

"God, Cody's the perfect foil for Kenny. I love Adam and he's awesome, but I feel like Cody's character -- the way he plays the villain and the bad guy is such a great contrast to the way Kenny is a good guy -- so the two are just so perfect when they're onscreen together. When Cody's doing his manipulation."

What’s next?

Cody Rhodes and Kenny Omega will go head-to-head next month at ROH: Supercard of Honor XII which takes place at the Lakefront Arena in New Orleans, Louisiana, on 7 April.

Author’s take

It’s a shame that we never had the chance of witnessing a contest between Adam Cole and Kenny Omega, however, like Matt Jackson stated, Cody Rhodes’ portrayal of such a mean heel has been spot on.

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