SALUTE*
Simi Taitoko "Toks" Fale (born 8 January 1982) is a Tongan/New Zealand professional wrestler who has worked his entire career for New Japan Pro-Wrestling after a short stint as a rugby union player. Training in 2009 at the NJPW Dojo, he earned a spot on the roster as King Fale, a member of the Young Lion program, in June 2010. He spent the next three years learning both the tools of the trade and the discipline of Japan within the undercard of the company. After almost three years, he graduated the program and gained his first distinct character exposure as an accessory to the history-defining Face–Heel Turn of Prince Devitt. As a "King" being an enforcer to a "Prince" would sound odd, he took on what became his signature moniker — Bad Luck Fale.Along with Devitt, Karl Anderson, and Tama Tonga, Fale is one of the four original founding members of the Bullet Club, and one of the two who has stayed with the NJPW group through its entire tenure, gaining a steady reputation as a cool-headed yet vicious behemoth who thinks more than he lets on. He is a 1-time IWGP Intercontinental Champion and a 3-time NEVER Openweight Six-Man Tag Team Champion* , as well as one of the shot-callers in the angle that exiled The Elite from Bullet Club as they left NJPW to form All Elite Wrestling.
"Bad Luck Fall Tropes":
- Area 51: He and Chase Owens started boasting about "Storming Area 51" when that was a summer meme in 2019, as if trying to recruit everyone in Bullet Club to join them. This became the premise for a comic book released later in the year.
- Bash Brothers: Has been this with his cousins in The Club, especially Tama Tonga.
- Big Bad Duumvirate: He and his cousin Tama Tonga had been trying to form one at the head of Bullet Club OG in 2018, but they seemed to be doing more rabblerousing than taking over at least during the G1 tournament. Subverted when it turned out to be a triumvirate with the very dangerous Jay White.
- Big Bad Wannabe: He and Tama were looking like this during the 2018 G1 Climax tournament, as they more often than not cheated and ran interference to get themselves disqualified for the sake of causing damage rather than to actually ensure victory. However, foreshadowing the truth was their high rate of success in the preview tag matches on the same tour, as well as the importance of the times they did cheat to win.
- The Big Guy: As the babyface young boy King Fale.
- Bouncer: His Underboss gimmick, particularly as the second of Prince Devitt.
- The Brute: Since turning heel and helping found the Bullet Club.
- Canon Name: Toks Fale, going by the shorthand of his given name which he uses on social media and in non-wrestling appearances.
- Cluster F-Bomb: FUCK'EM!
- Co-Dragons: He and Tama consider themselves this to Jay White in the Cutthroat Era of Bullet Club. However, this seems to be more of them putting The Club's trust in him rather than simply enforcing his personal will, as they are the longest-tenured members who were there for the foundation and thus hold a lot of decision-making power. When Jay kicked out The Guerrillas of Destiny to bring back The Good Brothers in response to Tama putting Jay's position in question, Fale had no problem ousting Tama and sharing this role with Anderson again instead.
- Continuity Nod / Shout-Out: He and Tama have both constantly exchanged these towards Finn Bálor, AJ Styles, Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows since the four went to WWE.
- Finishing Move: Bad Luck Fall crucifix powerbomb, as well as the throat thumb spike which he calls the Grenade.
- Four Is Death: Part of Bullet Club's founding foursome with Devitt, Anderson, and Tama, although the "Core Four" that was later established through both the Shooter and Phenomenal Eras consists of he and Tama with Anderson and Gallows.
- Hard Head: Never butt heads with a large and powerful Polynesian.
- Master-Apprentice Chain: Yuji Nagata —> Bad Luck Fale —> Jay White.
- To elaborate, Nagata was one of the men who taught him and the other sixth-generation young boys the trade at the New Japan Dojo. Later, Fale was one of the men who facilitated White's entry into the NJPW system, causing Jay to become his young boy. When Fale opened his own wrestling school in New Zealand called the Fale Dojo in 2016, Jay was naturally considered one of the founding students; Fale Dojo would later become NJPW's official New Zealand Dojo in 2020, cementing this further.
- Mighty Glacier: He's big, he's strong, and while he's not likely to win a footrace, it is not a good idea to let him get his hands on you.
- Ms. Fanservice: He's dating the most famous of Yujiro's go-go dancers, "The Tokyo Latina" Pieter.
- Names to Run Away from Really Fast: Bad Luck Fale.
- Power Stable: Seigigun and Bullet Club (OG).
- Power Trio: He and the Guerrillas of Destiny are the power behind the throne in the Bullet Club. Before Tanga Loa came in he and Tama used to form this role with any other member of Bullet Club, with one, the other, or both being accountable for every Bullet Club NEVER Six-Man Tag Team Championship team-up that wasn't given some strange name due to being part of The Elite.
- Red Baron: "The Underboss" then the "Rogue General" in the Bullet Club.
- Red Oni, Blue Oni: Is usually the Blue Oni next to any BC member.
- Shadow Archetype: Is this to his mentor Yuji Nagata. Both are steadfast in their loyalty, believe in NJPW's core principles, and Fale has adopted the salute in his mannerisms since Nagata's semi-retirement. To no one's surprise, though, Fale does not subscribe to Honor Is Fair Play and is willing to enact foul plans for the sake of his covenant.
- Sinister Shades: During his time in Bullet Club.
- Sir Swears-a-Lot: Not as much as the Guerrillas or pre-WWE Anderson and Gallows, but it's worth noting that "FUCK'EM" was his catchphrase in 2018.
- The Stoic: He's bigger, stronger, and less nimble than most on NJPW's roster, and to emphasize this, standing tall and looking scary with arms folded is his trademark pose.
- Took a Level in Jerkass: From 2016, he developed a tendency to throw the Japanese announcer to the floor mid-sentence, all for an Accidental Misnaming incident in which he was announced as Tama Tonga. Eventually slowed it down during the Firing Squad run before stopping it entirely as the Rogue General.
- Undying Loyalty: To Bullet Club as a brotherhood concept. While not as vocal about it as Tama, he too has fond regard for the good times with former frontrunners Prince Devitt, Karl Anderson and AJ Styles, and held resentment towards Kenny Omega's insistence on pulling rank, higher importance to The Elite, and "beauty and strength" ideology dividing The Club. Needless to say, seeing the young boy he and Devitt brought in fulfill the appointment to take the number one seat as well as bring back the villainous BC has been a joy for Fale.
- Villain Respect: He and the other Tongans have this for Yuji Nagata, who helped train him and Tama as young boys. His "Rogue General" salute is a villainous interpretation of Yuji's own trademark salute.
- We Can Rule Together: Offered this to "Switchblade" Jay White in 2018 heading into their G1 match. Three months later White turned on CHAOS and joined the resolidified heel version of Bullet Club, eventually becoming appointed as its leading ace. This is all more prophetic than anything else, as people pointed back to the fact that Fale was the one through whom Devitt brought Jay to NJPW as a young boy in the first place, and The Switchblade's targeting of Bullet Club earlier in the year was restricted to The Elite.
- Wrestling Doesn't Pay: He began with Bullet Club as Prince Devitt's personal bouncer. That said, Devitt must've taught him a lot about running a team, as he has become a one-time Intercontinental and multiple-time Six-Man Tag Team Champion as well as a shot caller within the OG mutiny against The Elite.
- Wrestling Family: He's a cousin to the sons of Haku. He and Tama had only met in passing at the most when they were kids in Tonga and never realized they were related until they were in the NJPW Dojo at the same time and a relative commented on a photo Fale had posted on social media.
