Gabriel Michael U McMenamin[1] (born 24 April 1997) is an English professional wrestler, better known by his ring name Gabriel Kidd. He is currently signed to Japanese promotion New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW), under the ring name, Gabe Kidd, as part of the Bullet Club.
Kidd began his career in the English independent circuit in July 2013. During several years, he worked on several independent promotions, most notably Revolution Pro Wrestling (RevPro) and Defiant Wrestling, before starting to work for New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) in January 2020, following the recommendation from Katsuyori Shibata. In NJPW, Kidd began working as a young lion being assigned to Shibata's L.A Dojo. He would take a leave of absence and return to the United Kingdom, due to mental health issues.
In June 2023, Kidd made his return as a heel, joining the Bullet Club along with Alex Coughlin, known as the War Dogs, and subsquently won the Strong Openweight Tag Team Championship in the following month. The following May, Kidd won his first singles title in NJPW the Strong Openweight Championship.
Early life[]
Kidd exposed to professional wrestling for the first time in 2008, after reading an edition of the Fighting Spirit Magazine, which also shown wrestling schools over England during a holiday with his parents. His interest grew more when had 13 years old, after seeing a clip of Dragon Kid. Kidd was soon inspired by other wrestlers such as Bruiser Brody, Stan Hansen, Terry Gordy, Fit Finlay and Arn Anderson, who influenced him the most.
Professional wrestling career[]
Early career (2013–2019)[]
Kidd began his professional wrestling career in July 2013 at the Britsh independent circuit, under the ring name "Kid Danger", before starting to work under his real name in December. Afterwards, Kidd worked for various promotions across England most notably Defiant Wrestling, Revolution Pro Wrestling and World of Sport Wrestling. On June 29, 2019, during a Revolution Pro Wrestling event, Kidd teamed with Kenneth Halfpenny and Shaun Jackson in a winning effort against Brendan White, NJPW young lions Clark Connors and Karl Fredericks in a winning effort. Katsuyori Shibata, who was impressed with Kidd went on to recommend him to NJPW officials, eventually leading Kidd to be signed by NJPW.
New Japan Pro Wrestling (2020–Present)[]
Young Lion (2020–2023)[]
In September 2019, Kidd joined the NJPW Dojo, before starting to work for New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) as a "young lion" in January 2020 under his ring name, becoming a full-time member of its roster. He made his debut on January 20 in a tag team match, where he and Tiger Mask were defeated by Bullet Club (El Phantasmo and Taiji Ishimori). As is customary for most young lions, Kidd spent most of his matches losing to other, more experienced wrestlers, which would help put over other wrestlers while at the same time give him some in-ring, televised, experience. Later that year, it was revealed that Kidd was supposed to stay in Japan for five months and return to the NJPW L.A. dojo in May, but due to the COVID-19 pandemic this plans were derailed, leading him to stay in Japan. On June 17, Kidd took part in the 2020 New Japan Cup, losing in the first round to Taiji Ishimori. On September 23, Kidd defeated Yuya Uemura for his first victory in the promotion. In March, Kidd took part in the 2021 New Japan Cup, losing in the first round to Zack Sabre Jr. on March 7. On August 20, it was announced that Kidd would sidelined with a neck injury. The following year, on October 17 at New Japan Showdown, Kidd made his return to the promotion where he would talk about his abscence from the promotion and he would proced to challenge Jonathan Gresham to match at Detonation where he would lost the match against Gresham on November 15.
On December 7, Kidd announced his graduation from his young lion status, before undergoing on a learning excursion to the United States. On February 25, 2022, it was announced that Kidd would be returning to the United Kingdom, in order to take a leave of absence from in-ring competition due to mental health issues. On October 1, at Royal Quest II, Kidd would made his NJPW return defeating Dan Moloney after his leave of absence from in-ring competition. From November 22 until December 14, Kidd and Alex Coughlin took part in the 2022 World Tag League finishing the tournament with a record of one win and eight losses, failing to advance to the finals of the tournament.
Bullet Club (2023–present)[]
On June 4, at Dominion 6.4 in Osaka-jo Hall, after Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi won the IWGP Tag Team and Strong Openweight Tag Team Championships, Kidd and Coughlin made their return to NJPW, dubbed as the "War Dogs", attacking Goto and Yoshi-Hashi, before challenging them to a title match, returning as a heels in the process. Six days later, Kidd shortened his name to "Gabe Kidd", as part of the process joining Bullet Club. On July 4 at NJPW Strong Independence Day, Kidd and Coughlin defeated Goto and Yoshi-Hashi to win the Strong Openweight Tag Team Championship. The following day, Kidd and Coughlin unsucessfully challenged Goto and Yoshi-Hashi for the IWGP Tag Team Championship. Later that month, Kidd was granted entry into the 2023 G1 Climax, his first G1 Climax tournament. On August 5, he finished the tournament with a record of two wins, four losses and a draw, failing to advance to the quarterfinals of the tournament. Following the tournament, on August 12, Kidd, Coughlin and David Finlay confronted Hikuleo, El Phantasmo, and Tama Tonga with Phantasmo and Hikuleo, who newly reunited after being expelled from Bullet Club, setting their sights on Kidd and Coughlin's Strong Openweight Tag Team Championships, setting up two title matches at Destruction between both sides. On October 9 at Destruction in Ryogoku, Kidd and Coughlin lost the Strong Openweight Tag Team Championship to El Phantasmo and Hikuleo. From November 25 until December 6, Kidd and Coughlin took part in the 2023 World Tag League, where they won their block with a record of five wins and two losses, advancing to the semifinals of the tournament. On December 8, Kidd and Coughlin were eliminated from the tournament by losing to eventual winners Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi, in the semifinals.
In the meantime, on November 10, at Lonestar Shootout, Kidd attacked Eddie Kingston and challenged him, after he had successfully defended the Strong Openweight Championship against Satoshi Kojima. Meanwhile in AEW, Kingston took part in inagural AEW Continental Classic due to being both the Strong Openweight and the ROH World Champion, which saw Kingston defeating Jon Moxley AEW World's End to become the inaugural Continental Crown Champion. On January 5, 2024, at New Year Dash, in a post-match interview, Kidd challenged Kingston for the Continental Crown Championship at Battle in the Valley. Both would face each other in a match that ended in a double count-out at Battle in the Valley, after War Dogs attacked Kingston. Afterwards, Kingston warned that he made dangerous enemies and that he had dangerous friends, leading NJPW to announce a Riot Rules match at Windy City Riot. On March 17, Kidd re-signed with NJPW, after his previous contract expired in January. On April 12, at Windy City Riot, Kidd, along with his Bullet Club stablemates David Finlay, KENTA and Clark Connors defeated the team of Kingston, Homicide, Jeff Cobb and TJP after Kidd scored the win by pinning Homicide. After the match, Kingston challenged Kidd to a No Ropes Last Man Standing match at Resurgence, which Kidd accepted.
Meanwhile on April 6, after Shingo Takagi won the NEVER Openweight Championship, he was attacked by Kidd, cut a worked shoot promo, criticizing NJPW, spitting in the face of NJPW President Hiroshi Tanahashi, and then proceed to claim that the NEVER Openweight Championship title had become a ‘joke’ in recent months, before challenging Takagi to a title match. The title match was announced on April 15. On May 4 at Wrestling Dontaku, Kidd unsuccessfully challenged Takagi for the NEVER Openweight Championship. Two days later, at All Together, Kidd attacked Kaito Kiyomiya and challenged him to a title match for Pro Wrestling Noah's top title the GHC Heavyweight Championship, before proceeding to steal the title belt, with Kiyomiya accepting the challenge from Kidd. On May 11 at Resurgence, Kidd defeated Kingston in a No Ropes Last Man Standing match to win the Strong Openweight Championship, becoming in the process, the youngest wrestler to hold the title at 27 years old. On June 9, Kidd appeared in Pro Wrestling Noah, teaming with Jake Lee, who was aligned with War Dogs, to face All Rebellion's Kaito Kiyomiya and Kenoh in a double count out. During the match, Kidd busted open Kiyomiya, though afterwards Kiyomiya got the upperhand and proclaimed that the title wasn't for him to own and that he would return the "bloodbath" in their title match. On June 16, at Grand Ship In Yokohama, Kidd unsucessfully challenged Kiyomiya for the GHC Heavyweight Championship, ending War Dogs' feud with Kiyomiya's All Rebellion. From July 20 and August 14, Kidd took part in the 2024 G1 Climax finishing the tournament with a record of four wins and five losses, failing to advance to the play-off match of the tournament. On November 4, at Power Struggle, Kidd confronted Kenny Omega after he announced his returned to NJPW at Wrestle Dynasty on January 5, 2025, leading to a heated exchange that erupted into a brawl between the two. From November 19 until December 5, Kidd and SANADA took part in the 2024 World Tag League, where they won their block with a record of five wins and two losses, advancing to the finals of the tournament. On December 8, they were defeated in the finals of the tournament by Los Ingobernables de Japon (Hiromu Takahashi and Tetsuya Naito). At Wrestle Dynasty, Kidd was defeated by Omega.
On February 11, 2025, at The New Beginning Osaka, Kidd challenged Yota Tsuji for the IWGP Global Championship, but failed to win the title after both men were knocked out. Post-match, Kidd and Tsuji were assaulted by House of Torture, and after a false face turn tease by a returning EVIL, the latter announced the War Dogs are no longer part of the Bullet Club, starting a feud between House of Torture and War Dogs. Subsquently, Kidd alongside the War Dogs began being portrayed in a more positive manner, turning tweener. On April 11 at Windy City Riot, Kidd lost the Strong Openweight Championship to Tomohiro Ishii in a 30 minute Ironman match.
Professional wrestling style and persona[]
Kidd's wrestling style revolves mainly around a brawling approach, which has earned him the fitting nickname of "The Young Bull", in reference to Bruiser Brody, Stan Hansen, Terry Gordy. His in-ring performance seamlessly blends strong style, as well as the use of Southern American-style of wrestling, with occasional heel antics. These include wrestling outside of the ring and into the crowds, attacking Young Lions, breaking barricades, throwing the steps, and attempting to use weapons or championship belts.
Following his addition to the Bullet Club, Gabe began being nicknamed the "War Ready". Apart from his brawling in-ring style, Kidd began having more viscious and violent tactics as well as a mentally unstable, uncontrollable and unpredictable personality, in reference due to his past mental health struggles during the COVID-19 Pandemic, as well as emphasing on heel antics, including the use of low blows and massive interferences from his partners such as Alex Coughlin, including the heavy use of profanity during his in-ring promos and interviews.
In wrestling[]
- Finishing moves
- Drill a Hole Piledriver (Single leg hook jumping piledriver)
- Madman Bomb (Deadlift gutwrench powerbomb)
- Slick Kick (Running single leg front dropkick)
- Signature moves
- Butterfly suplex
- Forearm smash
- Lariat
- Piledriver
- Powerbomb
- Running dropkick to a kneeling opponent
- Schoolboy
- Shoulder tackle
- Snap suplex
- Tombstone Piledriver (Kneeling reverse piledriver)
- Uppercut
- With Alex Coughlin
- Hijack Piledriver (Springboard spike kneeling reverse piledriver)
- Nicknames
- "The Young Bull"
- "LA Dojo's Emerging Talent from the UK"
- "War Ready"
- Entrance themes
- "War Ready" by La Swave
- "War Dogs" by [Q]Brick
Championships and accomplishments[]
- New Japan Pro Wrestling
- Pro Wrestling Illustrated
- Ranked No. 374 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the PWI 500 in 2023
References[]
- ↑ Search Results for Civil Births in Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records . England & Wales Births 1837–2006.