After months of silence both in the ring and online, Jay White has finally resurfaced — and fans are buzzing.
The former leader of Bullet Club and current AEW star took to X (formerly Twitter) on Thursday for the first time in seven months, posting a single word:
That one-word tease was all it took to set social media ablaze, drawing hundreds of comments and speculation from fans eager to know what “Switchblade” might be hinting at. Could a comeback be on the horizon?
White has been out of action since March 2025, when he last wrestled Kevin Knight on AEW Collision. Not long after that match, reports surfaced that White had suffered a hand injury severe enough to require surgery. Later, word came that he may also have been dealing with shoulder issues, though details about whether he needed a second surgery were unclear.
Before his injury, White was scheduled to compete in the 2025 Owen Hart Foundation Tournament, but AEW used a storyline attack from the Death Riders to write him off television. Knight ultimately took his spot in the bracket, facing Will Ospreay in the opening round.
White’s social media silence only added to the mystery. His last activity on X came back in July, when he replied to a fan predicting a future AEW singles title run with a winking GIF — a fittingly cryptic response from “The Catalyst.”
Now, months later, fans are wondering if “Ready?” means exactly what it sounds like — that Jay White is preparing for his long-awaited return to AEW.
Whether it’s a tease for an in-ring comeback or something else entirely, one thing’s for sure: the wrestling world is watching closely.
“Switchblade” Jay White’s road to AEW gold has hit an unexpected detour. The former NJPW standout had set his sights on winning the 2025 Owen Hart Foundation Tournament and challenging for the AEW World Championship at All In Texas. However, on the April 2 episode of AEW Dynamite, White was officially removed from the tournament after suffering an injury, with a backstage attack serving as the on-screen explanation for his absence.
According to a report from Fightful Select, White sustained a legitimate injury that required surgery. On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer revealed that White suffered a broken hand, while Bryan Alvarez added that while the injury isn’t expected to sideline him for an extended period, he will be out of action for now.
With White unable to compete, AEW has brought in its newest signing, Kevin Knight, to take his place in the tournament. Interestingly, White had just defeated Knight on the March 29 episode of AEW Collision, making Knight’s inclusion an ironic twist. Knight now steps into a high-profile first-round match against Will Ospreay at Dynasty on April 6—a bout originally scheduled to feature White.
This marks the second consecutive year that White has been forced out of action due to injury during the Owen Hart Foundation Tournament. In 2024, he suffered a broken foot during a semi-final match against Hangman Page, which sidelined him for three months and caused him to miss All In London at Wembley Stadium.
While White’s tournament aspirations have once again been dashed, the focus now shifts to his recovery and eventual return. As for Kevin Knight, he has a massive opportunity ahead—one that could solidify his place in AEW if he can pull off an upset against Ospreay at Dynasty.
Former AEW World Trios Champion Jay White made his return to television on “AEW Dynamite’s” fifth anniversary show from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and he saved fellow Bang Bang Gang member Juice Robinson from the wrath of “Hangman” Adam Page. White ran out following Robinson’s loss to Page, after he took a Buckshot Lariat and ate the pinfall. Following the match, Page took off his belt, complete with belt buckle, and used it to choke out Robinson before his stablemate could make the save.
White’s music hit and he blindsided Page with a clothesline. Page escaped the ring and White checked on Robinson before going after him into the crowd. White beat down on Page with chops, then sent him crashing through a table propped up on a barricade. White helped Robinson to his feet and both men made their way up the ramp, with White keeping his eyes on “Hangman.”
It was reported back in August that White was fully healthy and expected back on television “immediately.” The former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion was out of action due to a foot injury. His last match before his time off was a loss to Page on the July 6 episode of “AEW Collision” in the semifinals for the Owen hart Foundation Tournament.
According to Fightful Select, AEW star Jay White is now healthy again and the company has plans to bring him back to television programming soon.
White suffered a minor foot injury during his match with Hangman Adam Page in the semifinals of the Owen Hart Tournament, back on the July 6 episode of Collision.
Due to White’s injury, the Bang Bang Gang was forced to vacate the AEW World Trios Championships, which are now held by Christian Cage’s Patriarchy faction.
The Bang Bang Gang were forced to vacate the AEW Unified World Trios Championship after Jay White picked up an injury that forced him out of action. Juice Robinson and The Gunns tried to reclaim the titles against The Patriarchy only to fail, continuing the group’s run of bad luck. Furthermore, it turns out that White’s injury is legitimate as opposed to a storyline setback, according to Fightful Select.
As of this writing, details about White’s injury have yet to be confirmed, so it remains to be seen what he’s suffering from and how long he’ll be out of action for. However, the former NJPW ace has been out of action since his loss to Adam Page in the men’s Owen Hart Tournament semi-final on the June 24 edition of “AEW Collision.”
This marks the latest White absence from AEW television. Earlier this year, he was forced to do pre-taped promos due to visa issues that prevented him from entering Canada. However, he returned in time to participate in the aforementioned tournament. White officially joined AEW in 2023 after making sporadic appearances for the promotion while he was still with NJPW. Since then, he’s mostly teamed with his cohorts in the Bang Bang Gang, aka Bullet Club Gold, feuding with teams such as The Acclaimed and FTR.
This week’s episode of AEW Dynamite opened with a bout that was set to feature Juice Robinson facing off against Ricky Starks in a Grudge Match. As a brawl broke out between the two men, Jay White hit the ring and helped out his fellow Bullet Club member. The two men then beat down Starks as the crowd in Long Island, New York cheered wildly.
Following the segment, AEW President Tony Khan took to Twitter to confirm that White is officially under contract with All Elite Wrestling.
Back in January, White entered free agency after deciding not to re-sign with NJPW.
Jay White is still a free agent after finishing up with NJPW.
White has interest from both promotions but has yet to make a decision about his wrestling future. He lost a ‘loser leaves Japan’ match to Hikuleo, followed by a ‘loser leaves NJPW’ match against Eddie Kingston.
“Regarding Jay White, we are told that White has been talking to WWE but has not signed. He is also talking to AEW. From someone familiar with the situation they described it as 50/50 which side he would go with,” Meltzer wrote.
Jay White is officially on the move, but where to seems to still be up in the air.
In the latest edition of the weekly Wrestling Observer Newsletter, veteran pro wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer confirmed that the former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion is officially a free agent after his NJPW contract expired at the end of last month.
Meltzer reported that all indications point toward White heading to WWE but “there has still been no confirmation of that.” He added, “If he is going to WWE, it’s not something well known within the company by many because multiple people who normally know haven’t heard his name mentioned.”
White’s tenure with NJPW has been seemingly wrapping up over the past two months. In January, the former Bullet Club leader dropped the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship to Kazuchika Okada in the main event at Wrestle Kingdom 17.
Then last month, he lost two apparent farewell matches, first losing to his former stablemate Hikuleo in a “loser leaves Japan” match at The New Beginning in Osaka and then losing to Eddie Kingston in a “loser leaves NJPW” match at Battle in the Valley. After White’s loss to Hikuleo, the wrestler posted photos of his time in Japan on social media with the caption, “Peace. #SwitchbladeEra.” And after his loss to Kingston, his opponent bowed to him after leaving the ring and joined the crowd in applauding him.
Several reports have since indicated WWE has heavy interest in bringing White into the fold and that officials there are “confident” he’s coming, though a jump to AEW or the broader independent scene also remains possible.
On Saturday, New Japan Pro Wrestling will return to the U.S. to host Battle in the Valley in San Jose, California. The event will potentially be the destination for Jay White’s final match with the promotion.
Mercedes Moné’s debut match is the biggest selling point for the upcoming show, which will also feature the latest edition of Kazuchika Okada and Hiroshi Tanahashi’s iconic rivalry. Still, all eyes would be on The Switchblade following the outcome of his dramatic Loser Leaves Japan bout at The New Beginning.
Last week, Hikuleo defeated the leader of Bullet Club and banished him from his adopted home. After he accepted his fate, the New Zealand wrestler set his sights on a showdown with AEW’s Eddie Kingston. However, the two upped the ante on this week’s episode of Wrestling Observer Live with our own Bryan Alvarez and Mike Sempervive.
Kingston challenged White to a Loser Leaves NJPW match, and the former IWGP world champion agreed. The added stipulation doesn’t add much suspense to their conflict because many assumed it would be his final appearance with the Japanese promotion.
Instead, the occasion will likely mark the end of the Cutthroat Era and make King Switch the hottest new free agent in wrestling. During his interview with Justin Barrasso of Sports Illustrated, White said he was “at peace with it.”
“I don’t know if there is much more I could have done,” he said. “I don’t feel like I left a bunch of boxes unchecked. I’ve been living it, so it can be hard to appreciate it in the moment, but as I move on, I’ve started to look back at the weight some of it holds. As time goes on, I hope people appreciate it even more.”
The first NJPW grand slam champion certainly had a prosperous and impactful run with the company. So, what’s next for the self-proclaimed Catalyst of Pro Wrestling?
ICYMI
Jay White vs Eddie Kingston Saturday at Battle in the Valley is now Loser Leaves NJPW!
The Elite has a long history with White stemming from Kenny Omega’s failed attempt to recruit him at NJPW New Year Dash 2018. The Switchblade rejected him, waited for Bullet Club to implode, and eventually stepped in as its new leader.
When The Cleaner and The Young Bucks left New Japan, he thrived as the top gaijin star in the company. The formation of AEW and the rise of the Cutthroat Era ran parallel to one another as Omega’s successor secured numerous accolades in his absence.
It didn’t take an expert to see that the 30-year-old would inevitably make his way to the U.S. as well. For starters, every wrestler who rose to prominence as the head of Bullet Club did so before him, including its founder, Finn Balor.
White started making inroads into America in 2020 as a part of NJPW Strong. The following year, his U-S-of-Jay Open Challenge became a fixture at these shows, and he appeared on Impact Wrestling.
By the time he made his triumphant return to Japan at Wrestling Dontaku 2022, it became clear that he would be at the forefront of NJPW’s new partnership with AEW. In the process, he continued to gain new fans in the U.S., and you could see where this was leading.
For that reason, AEW would be a perfect landing spot for King Switch. The company’s audience already knows him, and its core fanbase has an affinity for New Japan because of The Elite. His style of wrestling would also fit seamlessly on a roster full of some of the best wrestlers in the industry.
Even more, there are so many potential storylines for him there with familiar opponents like The Best Bout Machine. Straight away, White would be an excellent opponent for Adam Cole at Revolution. After all, the two-time IWGP world champion was a part of his last pay-per-view match at Forbidden Door, and he has reason to seek revenge.
The Next Bullet Club Member to Sign With WWE
If White wants to step out of his comfort zone and compete on a larger stage, WWE is the best option. AEW is a safe bet because he could pick up where he left off with NJPW in some ways and continue to build on established rivalries.
WWE would allow him to do something different and reach a broader audience. It’s hard to imagine he would leave Japan just to keep doing the same character work and catering to a niche audience.
It would be fun to see him work with The Elite or test himself against Bryan Danielson. However, one could argue that he has already done memorable angles with Omega, and he successfully surpassed him as the leader of Bullet Club.
The Switchblade has already beaten him for the IWGP United States Championship. He one-upped him in the main event of G1 Supercard at Madison Square Garden and took part in Forbidden Door.
There are still stories to tell and comeuppances to dish out, but White doesn’t gain as much from revisiting lingering questions surrounding Omega’s NJPW exit. King Switch created a mystique by filling the void he left behind and doing things his way. So, wouldn’t it make more sense for him to chart his own path free of the ever-present comparisons between the two men?
Signing with WWE would definitely come with the risk that the company would dilute his character or repackage and saddle him with an unimaginative name change. Still, he would have a better chance of immediately entering the world title picture there than he would with AEW.
After Roman Reigns’ monster run as the undisputed universal champion, the company will need fresh contenders. In particular, there will be room for a new heel to step up when he isn’t as present on WWE programming.
AEW doesn’t need a new major antagonist as much because MJF just started his reign of terror. It will be hard to compete with him for the top spot right now. So, White could probably make a more significant impact with WWE on the main roster.
The Verdict
White has two great options in WWE and AEW. Both companies have pros and cons, but it all depends on what he wants out of the next chapter of his career.
The AEW debut of top NJPW star Jay White was just put together on Sunday.
As noted, White made his AEW Dynamite debut last night during a backstage segment that saw The Young Bucks and Adam Cole attack Roppongi Vice (Trent Beretta, Rocky Romero). After taking out Romero with a BTE Trigger, the trio went to finish off Beretta until Cole stopped and pointed out White as he approached. They backed off as White sent Beretta flying face-first into a production truck. White then walked away, stopping to nod at The Elite and compliment Matt Jackson on his earrings.
White was later referenced in another backstage segment with Cole and The Bucks. The brothers looked ahead to defeating RPG Vice on Rampage, and Cole said White can have their backs on Friday’s show. The Bucks pointed to how White was once enemies with the injured Kenny Omega, but once you take the oath to be in The Bullet Club, it’s for life.
Khan took to Twitter after Dynamite and revealed that he didn’t secure White until Sunday. He brought White in because he botched his own definition of “The Forbidden Door” when first teasing a surprise for last night’s show. In his post-Dynamite tweet, Khan said he brought White to Dynamite because he heard the fan feedback and wanted to make sure Dynamite was special.
“I didn’t secure @JayWhiteNZ until Sunday. I realized after the fact that Friday night I butchered my own definition of Forbidden Door in hyping tonight. I heard the fans’ feedback, & wanted to ensure that tonight was a special #AEWDynamite for all. Thank you everyone who watched!” Khan explained.
White will also appear on AEW Rampage this Friday night, but it appears he has not been signed to a contract.
White is currently working a storyline in Impact Wrestling with bellow Bullet Club members Guerrillas of Destiny from NJPW, and Chris Bey from Impact. The February 19 No Surrender event will see White take on Eric Young in singles action, while G.O.D. challenge Impact World Tag Team Champions The Good Brothers. White has made a few appearances for Impact since last year due to their working relationship with NJPW.
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