New Bullet Club Member Revealed
Who is it!?
A new Bullet Club member has been revealed at day two of NJPW's Wrestling Dontaku event, attacking Will Ospreay and establishing himself as a new force in the junior heavyweight division.
Tama Tonga was accompanied to the ring by 'Bone Soldier' (or a wrestler in Bone Soldier attire, rather than the actual former Bullet Club member).
This masked figure was then revealed to be Taiji Ishimori, a former New Japan 'Young Lion' prospect, who has since forged a successful wrestling career elsewhere.
Ishimori will perhaps be most familiar to Western audiences as a member of IMPACT Wrestling's X-Division, making his debut at last year's Slammiversary. He is a one-time X-Division Champion, winning the title from Trevor Lee, before losing it to current champ Matt Sydal.
Indeed, Don Callis played up to Ishimori's IMPACT connection on commentary, claiming in shocked tones that he just saw Ishimori recently (due to Callis' current position as co-executive vice president of IMPACT).
Ishimori left New Japan in 2005, spending a brief time in All Japan Pro Wrestling, before heading to Pro Wrestling NOAH where he enjoyed the greatest success of his career so far.
He also briefly returned to NJPW in 2016, taking part in tournaments. His most notable contribution came in the Super Junior Tag Tournament, where he reached the final alongside ACH, before being beaten by Roppongi Vice.
It will be very interesting to see how Ishimori fares in NJPW as a member of Bullet Club, especially with the Best of the Super Juniors tournament right around the corner.
Tama Tonga was accompanied to the ring by 'Bone Soldier' (or a wrestler in Bone Soldier attire, rather than the actual former Bullet Club member).
This masked figure was then revealed to be Taiji Ishimori, a former New Japan 'Young Lion' prospect, who has since forged a successful wrestling career elsewhere.
Ishimori will perhaps be most familiar to Western audiences as a member of IMPACT Wrestling's X-Division, making his debut at last year's Slammiversary. He is a one-time X-Division Champion, winning the title from Trevor Lee, before losing it to current champ Matt Sydal.
Indeed, Don Callis played up to Ishimori's IMPACT connection on commentary, claiming in shocked tones that he just saw Ishimori recently (due to Callis' current position as co-executive vice president of IMPACT).
Ishimori left New Japan in 2005, spending a brief time in All Japan Pro Wrestling, before heading to Pro Wrestling NOAH where he enjoyed the greatest success of his career so far.
He also briefly returned to NJPW in 2016, taking part in tournaments. His most notable contribution came in the Super Junior Tag Tournament, where he reached the final alongside ACH, before being beaten by Roppongi Vice.
It will be very interesting to see how Ishimori fares in NJPW as a member of Bullet Club, especially with the Best of the Super Juniors tournament right around the corner.
Written by Jack King
jack.king@cultaholic.com Twitter: @JackTheJobber
