Karl Anderson Makes WWE Debut on Raw, Attacks The Usos with Luke Gallows

One of New Japan Pro Wrestling's most influential figures officially announced his WWE arrival Monday, as Machine Gun Karl Anderson debuted on Raw alongside veteran Luke Gallows.

The duo attacked The Usos after a match against Heath Slater and Curtis Axel, as WWE shared: 

WWE Universe provided more highlights:

Following the Jan. 4 Wrestle Kingdom 10 show in Tokyo, rumors surfaced that four of New Japan Pro Wrestling's top stars were set to leave the promotion for WWE: Gallows, Anderson, AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura.

The 36-year-old Anderson is a well-traveled veteran who has competed in promotions all over the world, including New Japan Pro Wrestling, Pro Wrestling Guerrilla and Ring of Honor in addition to the Bullet Club. 

WWE caused the whispers to grow when John Clapp wrote an article profiling the quartet for WWE.com.

Styles debuted as part of the Royal Rumble match, and Nakamura was Sami Zayn's opponent at NXT TakeOver: Dallas, which left Gallows and Anderson as the final two left to be accounted for.

During his time with NJPW, Gallows forged an alliance with Anderson and became half of one of the world's most devastating tag teams. Alongside Anderson, Gallows went on to become a three-time IWGP tag team champion.

Gallows and Anderson were key members of the Bullet Club stable, which developed into one of wrestling's most popular factions.

When asked about the possibility of Gallows and the Bullet Club joining WWE, NXT head trainer Matt Bloom, who previously teamed with Anderson in Japan, gave a ringing endorsement, per WWE.com's Dustin Wallace:

"

You hear the boss always say, "You need to reach for that brass ring." The Bullet Club do things outside the box to continually reach for that brass ring. They're not afraid to buck the system and be different. They're not afraid of trying new things. The fans, the locker room, and us as coaches are very excited to see what the Bullet Club might do.

"

While Gallows managed to reinvent himself and become a bigger star than ever as part of the Bullet Club in NJPW, he is familiar with WWE.

The 32-year-old Superstar began on WWE's main roster in 2006 as an impostor version of Kane. That angle ended quickly, but he resurfaced in 2007 under a new name, Festus.

After a two-year run with that gimmick, he became Luke Gallows and joined CM Punk's Straight Edge Society stable.

Following his release in 2010, Gallows spent two years in TNA as D.O.C. before hitting his stride in Japan.

Although Gallows' first run in WWE didn't live up to its potential, his return carries more fanfare, and he has a more significant profile in the wrestling business, especially internationally.

If WWE utilizes Gallows as a tag team wrestler with Anderson, as expected, the addition is an exciting one for several reasons.

Not only does it prove that WWE is committed to building a strong tag team division after years of indifference, but there are also some intriguing opponents for the pairing to go up against.

The New Day remain one of the hottest acts in WWE, while teams such as the Wyatt Family and The Dudley Boyz have styles that would almost certainly mesh well with Gallows and Anderson.

Tag team wrestling is a huge part of filling out a card and providing a well-rounded experience, and Anderson's and Gallows' arrival should help immensely in that regard.

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