I am both fascinated, dumbfounded, and annoyed by the WWE’s use of “The Club”, also known as Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows.
Wai on Monday’s Raw Rewind hit the nail on the head - Anderson, Gallows and Balor are doing nothing of importance and are three of the OG members of the hottest act in Pro Wrestling. Balor Club is already approved and merchandised. So why in the world are they keeping Anderson, Gallows and Balor apart. Moreso, has anyone even seen Anderson or Gallows in action recently?!
I went to the Raw MSG show on the 26th and here is what role Anderson/Gallows played: appeared in-ring with Elias. Egged Elias on during his song routine. Elias got interrupted by a bunch of guys setting up a 5 on 5 tag. Guess who weren’t even included in the tag - yup, Anderson and Gallows!! They brought out 10 other people to use instead of them! Elias meanwhile hung around the ring to heel with the crowd during the match and Anderson and Gallows disappeared so quick, I’d have thought I imagined the entire thing.
For a company that has had no problem splitting up tag teams (American Alpha and Cass/Enzo recently, the Hardys and Edge&Christian in the past) to get guys singles runs, we don’t even get that for Anderson and Gallows. Consider that Anderson was in a G1 Final! The guy isn’t a nobody in terms of in-ring talent, but do they get used? NOPE!
At this point I’m convinced Vince doesn’t get them, wants to cut them, and the only reason he doesn’t is because now after WWE/NorthAmerican exposure they would help NJPW way more stateside. I’m sure they make good money and have nice guaranteed downsides but it’s hard to watch these two be so underutilized (frankly, they aren’t utilized at all) while the Bullet Club reigns supreme world-wide. I have a hard time understanding why guys like them stick around, except I’m sure it pays well and beats flying to Japan for long tours when they have families here.
Anyway, there is a clear answer to how to ignite Balor and it is to merge “The Club” with Balor Club.
Would love to hear others thoughts on this and if I am fixated on something or if others notice this / think this as well.
They have so much personality to them and are so funny. When they did their podcast I would look like an idiot trying to hold in my laughter in public. It just hasn’t transferred over to WWE. Even their New Japan personas haven’t come out in WWE.
I like them, I think that there are definitely better teams on the roster, but they just arent being used proper. They need to be put with Balor immediately in my opinion. Freshen up all 3.
The way they are on podcasts doesn’t translate to tv. That kind of humour doesn’t.
Are we supposed to listen to them break out Steve Austin impressions while they wrestle? Are they supposed to be mesmerized by ass like they did in Japan?
Are they the Revival or are they Breezango? As in are they serious contenders or are they jokes.
I agree. I used to love the podcast that Anderson and Gallows did at MLW before they signed with the WWE. These guys have been used so poorly by WWE that I hope that either (a.) someone at WWE finally wakes up and uses them right or (b.) they get to leave the WWE and go to ROH or back to NJPW so they can start showing their “stuff” again. (of course, I am sure that the “good brothers” are getting a nice paycheck from WWE despite all this)
I’d agree with Wai that the best way forward for Gallows & Anderson now would be part of the Baylor Club. What have they got to lose? They were great with AJ last year and I think they would help mask the fact that Finn isn’t the best WWE promo guy. Finn is really drifting too so it could give all three some much needed direction.
Last night I was with a 9 yr old and his dad at the MSG show. The kid didn’t notice when Gallows and Anderson disappeared and then said Finn should go to the Cruiserweight division. Separately my friend who casually watches Wrestling is always on me about how Finn is not a legit main event guy. Not all fans appreciate NXT or outside work.m, unfortunately.
I think if they gave Finn any sort of a backstory, people would buy in. It’s definitely not enough to rely on NXT or NJPW success and expect people to get behind him. Same issue with Nakamura. They have done nothing to establish a story for him so eventually mainstream fans will move on.
I would love seeing a multi brand “The Club” faction. Have Finn, Gallows, and Anderson on raw, AJ and two other guys that aren’t being used right on Smackdown. Then they could both be heel factions that run wild taking over both brands working together every now and then like at the rumble or survivor series.
This is just speculation but do people think it is possible that they deliberately held off on putting Balor with Gallows/Anderson because they did not want the OG-BC to directly compete with their own stable The Shield.
If wheels were in motion for a Shield fall reunion to help get Roman some fan support (largely from the same segment of the audience that pops for the BC reunion), then I could totally see WWE trying very hard to not overshadow that plan. The Shiled vs. Balor Club seems like an obvious feud, but I cannot imagine Vince ever green lighting something from the outside wrestling world that he thinks could potentially overshadow his own creation.
If they reunited Balor/Gallows/Anderson before the Shield reunion tour was over, it would have overshadowed them for sure. Especially once the Bullet Club invasion on BTE picked up major momentum and then the Finn/AJ match. This is all that segment of the audience would have wanted to see. I could totally see where once Dean had surgery, and there is really no Shield anymore (the reunion left much to be desired anyway) that Vince then says, okay we made the $ we could off the Shield reunion, now put the Balor Club together and let’s milk that for a while. Business (like booking) needs to have cycles, people can only spend so much at one time, and the direct competition for the two, particularly when it could have overshadowed a major WWE creation is the only explanation I have for what took so long. But now that it’s here…it’s TOO SWEET
It’s real!!