WILW: Machine Gun Karl Anderson & Doc Gallows

As we continue our month long look at Bullet Club, or former members of Bullet Club, we next turn our attention to the former IWGP Heavyweight Tag Team Champions Anderson and Gallows. These two guys are about as legit as it gets and, if the rumors of their signing with WWE are true, will bolster their tag division in a big bad way. 

First up, we take a look at Karl Anderson. The Machine Gun is one of the best wrestlers in the world today, yet remains relatively unknown to casual viewers/WWE only viewers. His time in the states early on in his career was good but not quite where it could have been. He spent some time with an NWA affiliated promotion and had a few matches in PWG. It was his time in Japan, first with Giant Bernard (Albert/Tensai in WWE), and later with Doc Gallows as part of Bullet Club that really saw him bust out and become a true badass. Anderson is amazing in the ring. Everything the guy does is crisp and has a purpose. He knows how to work a match as well as anyone. He has a great move set and his character’s attitude is incredibly fun to watch. (If the WWE signing comes to pass I am going to miss the shit talking to the camera…) His current pairing with Doc Gallows has been one of the best, most dominate runs any team has ever had. Their multiple reigns as IWGP champs have been an absolute blast to watch. And while his tag team work is what put him on the map, his singles work is excellent as well. His match against Nakamura at the New Japan Cup was outstanding. The guy can go with the best of them. He has absolutely everything you could want in a modern professional wrestler and I cannot wait to see him tearing up NXT/WWE.

Doc Gallows has had an interesting career. Originally debuting as Fake Kane for WWE he would later be repackaged as the mentally challenged Festus. His gimmick was that of a simple man who would turn into a monster when the bell rang to start the match and back into a simpleton when the bell rang to end the match. As offensive as it sounds, and holy fuck is it ever, Gallows did a damn good job with what he was given. As part of the tag team Jesse and Festus he showed some real talent in the ring as a big guy who could move very well. He was repackaged again though as Luke Gallows, having been saved from alcoholism, and the Festus character, by CM Punk. As part of Punk’s Straight Edge Society, he worked as a monster heel and had a damn fine run. WWE dropped the ball though and had him split from the group. It wasn’t long after that that Gallows debuted for TNA as DOC, (the director of chaos… get it?), a member of the Aces and Eights biker group. His run in TNA again fell short of the mark primarily due to the horrible booking decisions of TNA. He left the company without much fanfare and signed on in Japan. His work there has been spectacular. Gallows finally seemed to put everything together as a member of Bullet Club. The guy is huge but moves like a much smaller wrestler. Everything he does has big impact. He is a monster and the perfect compliment to Anderson. His next run in the states should make him a household name. Gallows has all the tools ad is in his prime right now. His character is an ass kicker of the highest degree. I cannot wait to see what he does in the NXT/WWE tag division. (the face paint is dope too)

If WWE is smart they will keep these two together for a long time. They both have potential as singles guys but their team is just so good. They have that special something that makes tag team wrestling so great. Check out some of the matches below and follow me on twitter or instagram, @geekadedan, to chat about wrestling, beer, games, comics… I’m easy. Join us next week as we wrap up our look at Bullet Club with the Young Bucks.


Kazuchika Okada & YOSHI-HASHI vs… by JAHMAL1111


Shinsuke Nakamura vs Karl Anderson 11/7/2015 by 4989power310710


Bullet Club (Doc Gallows & Karl Anderson) vs… by JAHMAL1111


2015.05.03 Bullet Club v.s The Kingdom by keiji1234kimo

Dan Ryan

Dan Ryan was once the most feared and respected luchador in the world until the "Great DDT Disaster of '85" where Dan unfortunately DDT'd his opponent so hard into the ground that he opened a gate to the underworld that let unholy things into this world. After that, Dan refused to wrestle anymore but he's found new life writing and talking about his favorite hobbies here at Geekade. He pens the weekly Why I Love Wrestling series, co-hosts The Stone Age Gamer Podcast, expertly pairs video games with beer, and much, much more. Dan is a personality that Geekade simply would not be the same without.

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