Top New Japan Pro Wrestling Star Announces Retirement

Bullet Club War Dogs Alex Coughlin has retired from professional wrestling.

By Haley Miller

The wrestling community was sent into disarray this week when former iWGP Global Heavyweight Champion David Finlay let it slip that the Steel Cage match which took place at NJPW The New Beginning In Osaka in February "claimed" one of his War Dogs. Fans began speculating that it was about Alex Coughlin as his contract with NJPW was up in February and he hasn't been seen since.

Coughlin took to his social media to confirm that he is retiring. Yeah I'm retired and it sucks now leave me the f--k alone. Actually I have some merch and gear to sell still so don't f--k off just yet," he wrote. Following the cage match, the War Dogs gave their backstage comments. Although Coughlin didn't verbally say anything, he did use sign language to convey his message. "f--k you" he signed, before also signing "thank you."

Coughlin, who has been wrestling for New Japan Pro Wrestling since 2018 first as a "Young Lion" under the tutelage of AEW's Katsuyori Shibata. He graduated from the LA Dojo in 2021, and had a complete attitude and appearance change going into 2022. That was really a breakout year for Coughlin who returned to Japan last summer to join Bullet Club War Dogs. Coughlin won the NJPW STRONG Openweight Tag Team Championships with Gabe Kidd not long after and they held the titles through October.

Though Coughlin has only been wrestling for six years, his young career has been halted a few times due to injuries. In 2020 he suffered a neck injury that would keep him off of NJPW Strong for nearly a year. He returned to Japan ten months later. Coughlin has wrestled since the match in February, finishing up a few independent dates in a No Ring Death Match against Casanova Valentine and at NYWC Psycho Circus 21 on February 24. Though Coughlin's most notable work is in Japan, he has appeared in top independent promotion Game Changer Wrestling, in Ring of Honor, the IMPACT/TNA NJPW crossover show Multiverse United, and at AEW/NJPW's Forbidden Door pay-per-view in 2022.

Stay tuned to Comicbook.com for updates on New Japan Pro Wrestling.

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