Kenny Omega Reveals How AJ Styles’ Bullet Club Departure Was the “Pivotal” Moment That Led to AEW

In the annals of modern professional wrestling history, few dates are as consequential as January 5, 2016.

At New Japan Pro-Wrestling’s New Year Dash!!, the landscape shifted violently. Just one night after AJ Styles competed at Wrestle Kingdom 10, the then-leader of the Bullet Club was brutally excommunicated from the faction he had helped popularize globally.

As Styles bowed to the crowd, signaling his impending departure to WWE, Kenny Omega attacked. A devastating One-Winged Angel, followed by a barrage of superkicks from The Young Bucks, ended the "Phenomenal Era" of the Bullet Club and inaugurated "The Elite Era."

While fans at the time viewed it as a shocking betrayal to write Styles out of NJPW storylines, Kenny Omega now reflects on that night as the single most crucial turning point for himself, The Young Bucks, and the eventual landscape of the industry today.

In a recent interview with Shak Wrestling, Omega opened up about that historic night in Tokyo, crediting Styles' professionalism and wrestling acumen for allowing the future to unfold as it did. According to Omega, Styles wasn't just leaving; he was actively participating in the creation of the next superstars on his way out the door.

“AJ, having a keen sense of what’s best for business, knew exactly how to go along with it,” Omega told Shak Wrestling.

It is a common tradition in wrestling to "do the honors" on the way out of a territory, but Omega emphasizes that Styles’ willingness to be part of such a visceral, violent usurpation was key to what followed. It provided an immediate narrative reason for Omega to ascend to the heavyweight main event scene and for The Young Bucks to solidify their loyalty to him.

“In a way, by his turning his back and allowing for that moment to happen, whether he knows it or not, that led to the forming of The Elite,” Omega explained.

That moment created a power vacuum. While Omega technically took over the leadership of the wider Bullet Club, the specific bond formed during that "mutiny" between Omega, Matt Jackson, and Nick Jackson became the foundation of "The Elite."

This sub-group within the faction began to surge in global popularity, driven by their unique branding, match quality, and the "Being The Elite" YouTube series. The momentum they gained in the post-Styles era of NJPW gave them the leverage and confidence to eventually bet on themselves with the "All In" independent show, the precursor to All Elite Wrestling.

Omega didn't mince words when connecting the dots from that Tokyo night in 2016 to the existence of the currently nationally televised promotion in America.

“Ultimately, it kind of led to AEW," Omega stated. "Him being involved in our lives is very pivotal for the company and our careers."

Looking back, the "betrayal" of AJ Styles was far more than a storyline requirement to explain a roster change. It was the lighting of a fuse. By selflessly playing his part in his own on-screen demise, AJ Styles helped provide the launchpad for The Elite, setting in motion a butterfly effect that reshaped the entire wrestling world.