AJ Styles has revealed that he never considered himself the leader of Bullet Club, despite being widely recognised as the man who took charge of the popular NJPW faction following Prince Devitt’s departure in 2014.
Bullet Club became one of professional wrestling’s most influential factions during its 13-year existence, with stars including Styles, Kenny Omega and Devitt playing prominent roles in its success.
However, speaking on Cody Rhodes’ What Do You Wanna Talk About? podcast, Styles explained that he deliberately avoided presenting himself as the group’s leader because he wanted every member to feel equally important.
“I never claimed to be the leader of the Bullet Club,” Styles said.
“Our whole thing was, at least the way I presented it to the world, was we don’t follow anybody, and so therefore that means you don’t follow me. I’m not your leader, I’m just part of this group because we don’t follow anybody, and that was a way for me to make sure that everybody stays important.
It wasn’t just one guy, like we as a group were a big deal, I didn’t want it to be about AJ Styles, I didn’t want it to be about [Doc] Gallows and [Karl] Anderson, I wanted it to be about all of us together, and I thought that’s what made it special.”
AJ Styles Explains What Made Bullet Club So Popular
AJ Styles, who shared the faction with Rhodes during their respective NJPW careers, also discussed why he believed Bullet Club connected so strongly with wrestling fans. According to Styles, the enjoyment the group’s members displayed played a significant role in its popularity, particularly in Japan.
He explained that fans could see how much fun the wrestlers were having together, creating an atmosphere that encouraged people to support the faction or want to join it. Bullet Club remained a major presence in NJPW for more than a decade, with its membership featuring numerous prominent international wrestlers.
However, the faction quietly ended in early 2026, with its remaining members either leaving NJPW or joining Unbound Co., a new stable led by Yota Tsuji. Despite being remembered as one of Bullet Club’s most recognisable figures, Styles maintains that the faction’s success came from its collective identity rather than any individual leader.
