On this week’s Tape Study, we watched Bullet Club War Dogs vs. Young Bucks & the Good Brothers from NJPW Resurgence. This was a first-time watch for me and let me tell you upfront: I knew the outcome going in, and yes—it was as stupid as I expected. But it’s not just the result that felt off. It’s the whole energy of the match.
🎯 What Even Was the Point?
No build. No real heat. No stakes.
The Bullet Club War Dogs—under David Finlay’s sharp, chaotic leadership—are finally building something new. Something modern. They've taken Bullet Club back to its roots: intimidation, unpredictability, and raw, unfiltered aggression. Finley, Clark Connors, Gabriel Kidd, and Gedo earned that spotlight through storytelling and savagery.
Enter the Young Bucks and Good Brothers, fresh off their AEW residencies, trying to inject themselves back into a story they’ve long since outgrown. The problem? Legacy isn’t a cheat code, and nostalgia doesn’t hit when it’s forced.
They didn’t build to this. They just showed up—and expected us to care.
💥 Spots, Spots, and More Spots
From the jump, the match is chaos—Bullet Club chaos. Fighting outside the ring, weapons, barricades, misdirection. That’s their DNA. That’s where they shine.
But the Young Bucks do what they always do: no breathing room, no selling, just move after move, like they’re on a checklist to hit every single highlight reel spot. A splash here, a superkick there, all while slowing the pace when it doesn't matter and speeding it up when you want the moment to land. The psychology was non-existent. It felt like I was watching a high-speed car crash of indie tropes—just louder and shinier.
And you know what’s worse? The fans ate it up—not because the match told a story, but because they were only there for the Bucks. There’s a big difference between wrestling fans and Young Bucks fans. And in that building, the latter won.
🧠 Finley and the War Dogs Deserved Better
Let’s give credit where it’s due. David Finlay and Clark Connors looked crisp. Gabriel Kidd’s mid-match promo trash talk? Raw. Electric. That’s the kind of energy that makes you lean in. The War Dogs tried to work psychology into the match—cutting off the ring, targeting limbs, raking eyes, working the crowd in between the chaos. But how do you tell a story when the other side is trying to get every move in before the commercial break?
This wasn’t a Bullet Club civil war. It was a poorly framed homecoming for the Bucks with no emotional foundation. If you’re going to tease old school vs. new school, give us a reason to invest. Otherwise, it's just cosplay and catchphrases.
😒 The Finish Was Inevitable
A Magic Killer on Gedo closes the match. Predictable. Uninspired. The crowd pops because the Bucks won—not because the story earned it.
Then we get the “Too Sweet” moment, the fake reconciliation tease—again. Again. Like we haven’t seen this exact beat a dozen times. The Young Bucks throw it up. The War Dogs snub it. The segment dies the same way it lived—without consequence or real payoff.
🧵 Final Thoughts
This wasn’t the worst match I’ve ever seen. It was just a missed opportunity. A showcase of how broken the pacing and storytelling can get when veterans refuse to evolve, and younger stars are forced to pick up the slack.
This could’ve been a statement on eras, on what Bullet Club means today versus a decade ago. Instead, it was a spot-fest dressed up in Bullet Club cosplay.
But hey—at least I got to break it down with you.
If you liked this Tape Study breakdown, you know what to do:
I’ll be back Thursday with another Tape Study, this time (finally) getting to AJ Styles vs. Finn Bálor.
Until then—watch smart, stay sharp, and support what’s real.
Watch it in full:
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