Report: The Latest on WWE Possibly Signing New Japan's Jay White

New Japan Pro-Wrestling's Wrestle Kingdom 15 ended last week with Kota Ibushi defeating Jay White [...]

By Connor Casey

New Japan Pro-Wrestling's Wrestle Kingdom 15 ended last week with Kota Ibushi defeating Jay White in what many believed to be an instant Match of the Year contender. White then took to the backstage area and cut an emotional promo about the loss, saying he was done putting his body on the line for the amusement of others and that after the New Year's Dash event he was "done." This instantly led to speculation that White might be leaving the Japanese promotion and heading to either WWE or AEW in the near future.

Days later the Super J-Cast reported that WWE was making a "strong play" to scoop up the former IWGP Heavyweight Champion.

"Several sources have indicated there is some doubt whether Jay White will extend his NJPW contract, rumoured to be up at the end of the month," the podcast's Twitter account read. "WWE are believed to be making a strong play for him and it's 50/50 whether he stays or goes."

However, fans hoping that the Bullet Club member might be making the jump may want to temper expectations. Dave Meltzer reported on a recent edition of Wrestling Observer Radio that when AEW tried to sign him in 2018, he told them he had just signed a seven-year contract. Barring any crossovers between the two promotions, that would keep him locked in for a few more years.

"He told [AEW] when they talked to them in 2018, he said that he signed a seven-year contract in 2018," Meltzer said. "He said, 'I just signed a seven-year contract.' I don't know if that's true, but I know that's what he said. So, you can take it from there as far as all this stuff."

Over the weekend photos emerged online showing that New Japan is still advertising White for events in March, which all but prove that his line about quitting was merely for a storyline.

In the midst of White teasing a departure, the Bullet Club faction saw a pseudo reunion on last week's AEW Dynamite when Kenny Omega, The Young Bucks and an invading Karl Anderson and Luke Gallows all threw up the "Too Sweet" hand sign to close out the show. All five men were former members of the group during their respective runs in New Japan.

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