War Dogs (・ウォー・ドッグス Uō Doggusu) is a villainous professional wrestling stable in the New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) promotion.
War Dogs was formed in June 2023 as a subgroup within Bullet Club. As the leader of Bullet Club, the stable marked a major turning point for the career of David Finlay, who established himself as one of NJPW's top wrestlers and becoming the inaugural and holding the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship on multiple occasions. Other members of the stable have also benefited from becoming part of the stable with Gabe Kidd holding the Strong Openweight and Strong Openweight Tag Team Championships, alongside Alex Coughlin, who later retired. Connors and Moloney also established themselves in NJPW's junior heavyweight tag team division, holding the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship twice.
As part of an interpromotional rivalry in May 2024, they formed an alliance with Pro Wrestling NOAH (NOAH)'s, Good Looking Guys (GLG), as part of a storyline rivalry with Kaito Kiyomiya and Kenoh's All Rebellion from and NJPW's Los Ingobernables de Japón stables, who were feuding with both stables, before GLG's leader Jake Lee fully joined them in July 2024. In 2025, War Dogs entered in a storyline feud with House of Torture over the leadership of Bullet Club, which culminated in War Dogs forcing them out of the stable.
History[]
Formation (2023)[]
On February 18, 2023, at Battle in the Valley, David Finlay attacked his former partner and longtime rival Jay White, after he was forced to leave NJPW, showing a more cocky and villainous persona. On March 5, after defeating Tomohiro Ishii in the first round of the 2023 New Japan Cup, Finlay was introduced by White's former manager Gedo as the newest member of Bullet Club, becoming the stable's seventh leader, after White's departure. On April 15 at Capital Collision, Connors turned on his team by viciously attacking The DKC. Soon after, Finlay offered him a spot in Bullet Club, with Connors accepting. On June 4, at Dominion, after TJP and Francesco Akira regained the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championships, Connors confronted the new champions, teasing he and a partner would challenge them to a title match. Afterwards, Dan Moloney was revealed to be his partner after turning on them to join the stable. Also in that night, after Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi won the IWGP Tag Team and Strong Openweight Tag Team Championships, Alex Coughlin and Gabriel Kidd made their return to NJPW, dubbed as the "War Dogs", attacking Goto and Yoshi-Hashi, before challenging them to a title match. Later that night, Finlay along with Connors, Moloney, Kidd and Coughlin, formed a sub-stable named "War Dogs", with Finlay further stating that in his leadership members could only bring "gold or bodies".
Championship pursuits and feud with Guerrillas of Destiny (2023)[]
On July 4 at NJPW Strong Independence Day, Kidd and Coughlin defeated Hirooki Goto and Yoshi-Hashi to win the Strong Openweight Tag Team Championship. Later that night, Connors and Moloney defeated Francesco Akira and TJP to win the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. The folowing day, Kidd and Coughlin unsucessfully challenged Goto and Yoshi-Hashi for the IWGP Tag Team Championship. From July 15 to August 9, three members of War Dogs took part in the 2023 G1 Climax with Kidd in block A, Finlay in block C and Coughlin in block D. Kidd and Coughlin finished second bottom of their respective blocks. Meanwhile, Finlay managed to advance to the quarter-finals in the final standings. In the quarterfinals, on August 10, Finlay was eliminated from the tournament by Will Ospreay.
Following the tournament, War Dogs started feuding with Guerrillas of Destiny (G.O.D), after El Phantasmo, who Finlay had recently kicked out Bullet Club, join them. On August 12, War Dogs confronted G.O.D's Tama Tonga, Hikuleo and El Phantasmo, with Phantasmo and Hikuleo, who newly reunited after being expelled from Bullet Club, setting their sights on Coughlin and Kidd's Strong Openweight Tag Team Championships, setting up two title matches at Destruction between both sides. On October 9 at Destruction in Ryogoku, Coughlin and Kidd lost the Strong Openweight Tag Team Championship to El Phantasmo and Hikuleo. Later that night, Finlay lost the NEVER Openweight Championship back to Tama Tonga, signalling their feud with G.O.D. From October 21 to November 2, Connors and Moloney took part in the 2023 Super Jr. Tag League, finishing the tournament with a record five wins and four losses, failing to advance to the finals of the tournament.
Feud with United Empire (2024)[]
On January 4, 2024 at Wrestle Kingdom 18, Connors and Moloney lost the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship back to Francesco Akira and TJP. Later that night, Finlay defeated Jon Moxley and Will Ospreay in a three-way match to become the first IWGP Global Heavyweight Champion. The following day, at New Year Dash, War Dogs faced United Empire in a no contest. Afterwards, War Dogs were challenged by Ospreay, who would make his last match in NJPW on February 11, with David Finlay choosing the stipulation. Finlay accepted the challenge and decided the match would be contested steel cage match. On February 4, War Dogs faced United Empire in a series of matches, culminating on Connors and Moloney defeating TJP and Francesco Akira to regain the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship. On February 11 at The New Beginning in Osaka, War Dogs defeated United Empire in a Dog Pound Cage match, ending their feud with United Empire. On February 23 at The New Beginning in Sapporo, Finlay lost the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship to Nic Nemeth.
Various feuds and addition of Jake Lee and SANADA (2024–2025)[]
On March 24, Coughlin announced his retirement from professional wrestling following a serious neck injury, after Finlay had previously admitted that the Dog Pound match had "claimed" one of his War Dogs, leaving Bullet Club in the process. During that month, Finlay took part in the 2024 New Japan Cup, where he made it to the quarterfinals, but was forced to withdraw from his tournament matchup with Hirooki Goto due to a health complaint before the match took place. Finlay made his return on April 6 at Sakura Genesis, Finlay confronting Yota Tsuji, after he failed to win the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, being quick to point out his failure, after Finlay was forced to pull out of the 2024 New Japan Cup, due to an illness, before War Dogs engaged in a brawl with Los Ingobernables de Japón (L.I.J.). Shortly after, they began a feud with L.I.J. On April 22, Pro Wrestling Noah's Jake Lee made a surprise debut for NJPW by interfering and helping Moloney defeat Tetsuya Naito, as part of a match series between War Dogs and Los Ingobernables de Japón (L.I.J.). Afterwards, Finlay, announced that Lee would team with War Dogs against Naito's L.I.J in a five-on-five tag team elimination match on April 27, which they lost. On May 3 at Wrestling Dontaku, Finlay defeated Tsuji. Later that night, Finlay attacked Nic Nemeth after he retained the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship against Hiroshi Tanahashi. Nemeth managed to fought back, forcing a break up. He would then challenge Finlay to a title match on the following day, which Finlay won, winning the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship for the second time.
On April 6, at All Together, Kidd, alongside Finlay and Moloney attacked Kaito Kiyomiya after the main event, with Kidd challenging him to a title match for Pro Wrestling Noah's top title the GHC Heavyweight Championship, before proceeding to steal the title belt. Due to Lee being align with them, War Dogs also aligned themselves with Lee's Good Looking Guys (GLG) stable in NOAH. On May 11 at Resurgence, Kidd defeated Eddie Kingston in a No Ropes Last Man Standing match to win the Strong Openweight Championship. Later that month, Connors and Moloney took part in the 2024 Best of the Super Juniors with Connors wrestling in block A and Moloney in block B, with both failing to advance from their blocks and as result failing to advance to the semifinals of the tournament. 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. On July 13 at Pro Wrestling NOAH's Destination, Gedo came to the ring in the name of Finlay, offering Lee to join the stable, who was quick to accept, before Gedo announced Lee's departure from Pro Wrestling NOAH. From July 20 and August 14, three members of War Dogs took part in the 2024 G1 Climax, with only Finlay managing to win his group and advancing to the semifinals of the tournament, where he was defeated by Yota Tsuji on August 17. On October 14 at King of Pro-Wrestling, Connors and Moloney lost the IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship to Intergalactic Jet Setters (Kevin Knight and KUSHIDA). From October 24 to November 2, Connors and Moloney took part in the 2024 Super Jr. Tag League, finishing the tournament with a record three wins and two losses, failing to advance to the finals. On November 4 at Power Struggle, SANADA turned on Just 5 Guys and jumped to War Dogs by helping Finlay defeat Taichi to retain the IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship. 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).
Feud with House of Torture (2025–Present)[]
On February 11, 2025 at The New Beginning in Osaka, EVIL and Dick Togo, who had previously suggested their potential departure from NJPW, entered the ring and initially implied that they were severing ties with the House of Torture. However, this was revealed to be a deceptive tactic, subsequently, the House of Torture turned against Kidd, attacking him. Subsquently, War Dogs began being portrayed in a more positive manner, turning tweener. Following these events, EVIL declared that War Dogs would no longer be associated with the Bullet Club, leading to a feud between both sides. During the 2025 New Japan Cup, SANADA was torn between both sides, leading War Dogs to question his loyalty, until he attacked Yuya Uemura following his match against Finlay in the tournament. Finlay eventually won the New Japan Cup, defeating Shota Umino in the finals on March 20, to earn a title match for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. On April 5 at Sakura Genesis, during a match for the NEVER Openweight 6-Man Tag Team Championship between War Dogs and House of Torture, SANADA turned on the War Dogs to join the House of Torture. Later that night, Finlay unsucessfully challenged Hirooki Goto for the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship. Shortly after, due to SANADA's betrayal War Dogs challenged Houe of Torture to a Dog Pound Steel Cage match. On April 11 at Windy City Riot, Kidd lost the Strong Openweight Championship to Tomohiro Ishii in a 30 minute Ironman match. War Dogs feud with House of Torture culminated to a Dog Pound match, on May 3 at Wrestling Dontaku, where the losers must leave Bullet Club. At the event, they defeated House of Torture in the Dog Pound match, forcing them out of Bullet Club.
Reception[]
War Dogs's matches often involve excessive outside interference, ref bumps and other tactics, which are more common in "American" professional wrestling and are rarely seen in Japanese puroresu, even in matches involving other villainous acts. As such, the stable is perceived as amore the traditional heel wrestling group that Bullet Club has been known for. They are the type that functions as a unit, where if one member is in the ring, the others wait for the best moment to strike with numbers. They usually come to the ring looking to get a mental advantage over their opponent, as way of instigating them.
In Wrestling[]
- Double-team finishing moves
- Coughlin and Kidd
- Hijack Piledriver (Springboard spike kneeling reverse piledriver)
- Connors and Moloney
- Full Clip (Diving Spear (Moloney)/Cutthroat brainbuster (Connors) combination)
- Coughlin and Kidd
- Managers
- Nicknames
- "My Dog For Real – MD4R"
- Entrance themes
- "War Dogs" by [Q]Brick feat. Kensei Abbot
Members[]
| * | Founding member |
|---|---|
| I | Leader |
Current[]
| Member | Joined | |
|---|---|---|
| Clark Connors | * | June 4, 2023 |
| Drilla Moloney | * | June 4, 2023 |
| David Finlay | *I | June 4, 2023 |
| Gabe Kidd | * | June 4, 2023 |
| Gedo | * | June 4, 2023 |
| Jake Lee | July 13, 2024 | |
| Taiji Ishimori | January 6, 2025 | |
| Robbie X | February 11, 2025 | |
| Chase Owens | March 9, 2025 | |
Former[]
| Member | Joined | Left | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alex Coughlin | * | June 4, 2023 | March 24, 2024 |
| SANADA | November 4, 2024 | April 5, 2025 | |
Sub-groups[]
| Affiliate | Members | Tenure | Type | Promotion(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clark Connors and Drilla Moloney | Clark Connors Drilla Moloney |
2023–Present | Tag team | NJPW |
| Alex Coughlin and Gabe Kidd | Alex Coughlin Gabe Kidd |
2023–2024 | ||
| Mad Bastards | Gabe Kidd Jake Lee |
2024–Present | NJPW NOAH |
Timeline[]
Championships and Accomplishments[]
- New Japan Pro-Wrestling
- IWGP Global Heavyweight Championship (2 times) – Finlay
- IWGP Junior Heavyweight Tag Team Championship (2 times) – Connors and Moloney
- NEVER Openweight Championship (1 time) – Finlay
- Strong Openweight Championship (1 time) – Kidd
- Strong Openweight Tag Team Championship (1 time) – Coughlin and Kidd
- New Japan Cup (2025) – Finlay
Gallery[]
 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Members | Current | Clark Connors • Drilla Moloney • David Finlay • Gabe Kidd • Gedo |
| Former | Alex Coughlin | |
