Gabe Kidd

Kidd in July 2023

###

Brighton, Sussex, England, United Kingdom

**Gabriel Michael U McMenamin** (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 asigned to Shibata's L.A Dojo. After a returning, Kidd began wrestling a series of matches against other veteran wrestlers before announcing to his graduation and instead starting a learning excursion. Although, Kidd returned to the United Kingdom, in order to take a leave of absence from in-ring competition 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 Bullet Club War Dogs, and subsquently won the Strong Openweight Tag Team Championship in the following month.

## 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, Coughlin and Kidd 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 wrestling

* **Finishing moves**
	+ *Slick Kick* (Running single leg front dropkick)
	+ *Classic Piledriver* (Single leg hook piledriver)
* **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**
	+ Strong Openweight Tag Team Championship (1 time) – with Alex Coughlin

## References

1. ↑ Search Results for Civil Births in Birth, Marriage, Death & Parish Records . England & Wales Births 1837–2006.