[Image via NJPW]

After numerous reports of WWE apparently acquiring the rights to the Bullet Club name, it has been confirmed that the New Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) still owns the name.

Early Thursday afternoon, the Pro Wrestling Tee's Instagram account commented on a picture of a new t-shirt for the remaining Bullet Club members -- now known as The Elite.

The comment indicated that WWE acquired the rights to the Bullet Club.



Here's a screenshot of the comment.

[Imaga via The Inquisitr]

Further fuel to the speculation was added when NJPWsuperstar and one-half of The Young Bucks, Matt Jackson sent out a tweet about the Bullet Club. The tweet suggested that the Bullet Club name was no longer associated with NJPW.

Love it. Hate it. Who cares. #BulletClub changed the business & transcended wrestling.

— The Young Bucks (@MattJackson13) January 7, 2016

Just as quickly as the news spread, it was put out in one fell swoop.

The Pro Wrestling Tees' Twitter page tweeted that the comment regarding WWE's ownership of the Bullet Club name was made sarcastically.

That's the problem with the internet, they can't tell when I'm being sarcastic.... https://t.co/C94qMkaXcr

— OneHourTees (@OneHourTees) January 7, 2016

As The Mark Out reported yesterday, the WWE is on the verge of signing Bullet Club members Karl Anderson, Doc Gallows, now-former Bullet Club member AJ Styles, and NJPW legend Shinsuke
Nakamura. The impending signings have been referred to as a "raid" of NJPW by WWE.

There have been rumors of Styles potentially being a surprise entrant in the Royal Rumble this year. Also, a report last night confirmed that Nakamura will be finished with NJPW at the end of the month as he is set to join WWE (via WhatCulture).

The WWE has made a lot of reference to the Bullet Club this week, including retweeting several photos posted by current NXT Heavyweight champion Finn Balor. Balor, fka Prince Devitt, is the architect of the Bullet Club, having found the stable in 2013.He has been vocal on social media regarding his former stablemates being WWE bound.

They should have been here by now.... @ WWE Performance Center https://t.co/QFYePXLfcw

— Finn Bálor (@wwebalor) January 6, 2016

While it's always possible that WWE is currently working out some sort of deal for rights to the Bullet Club name, the company currently does not own it.