Rumor-Killer On Highly Coveted New-Japan Pro Wrestling Talent Joining WWE

When it was revealed in January that "Switchblade" Jay White's contract with New-Japan Pro Wrestling (NJPW) was set to end sometime soon, the North American pro wrestling scene went into overdrive as a bidding war was seemingly budding behind the curtain.

WWE, All Elite Wrestling (AEW) and Impact Wrestling have all been on White's radar as potential landing spots as he declared in a February interview.

However, dirt sheets have recently reported that White is not heading to WWE in any capacity.

According to Pro Wrestling Insider (PW Insider) Elite, their sources claim that "based on multiple conversations with WWE officials and talents, we are told it does not appear [Jay] White is WWE-bound."

As for those hoping White would have made an appearance at either WrestleMania 39 or on the Raw after the big show, there "was absolutely no discussion of former New Japan Pro-Wrestling star Jay White within WWE at all over WrestleMania 39 weekend."

Pro wrestling fans last saw White in February when he took on Hikuleo in a "Loser Leaves Japan" match at "The New Beginning in Osaka" on February 11 with the former losing.

He would go on to be defeated again, this time by Eddie Kingston in a "Loser Leaves NJPW" match at "Battle In The Valley" a week later.

Those were the signs that pro wrestling fans took as White being completely done with his time in Japan.

Getting to WWE would have been an acquisition for the ages on par with that of Cody Rhodes at WrestleMania 38, Adam Cole's bombastic appearance at NXT TakeOver: Brooklyn III, Sting at Survivor Series 2014 and AJ Styles at Royal Rumble 2016.

But with the biggest pro wrestling company in the world seemingly off the table, that leaves AEW and Impact Wrestling as White's likeliest destinations.

Of the two, AEW is the front-runner for his services mainly because of the NJPW connections he has over there.

AEW executive vice presidents Kenny Omega and the tag team of Matt and Nick Jackson (The Young Bucks) were still with the NJPW-based faction Bullet Club when White joined them in 2018.

The link with Cole, who has been with AEW since his WWE contract expired in September of 2021, is also very much alive as he joined Cole and The Young Bucks in their beatdown of Trent Beretta and Rocky Romero on the February 9 episode of Wednesday Night Dynamite.

AEW appears to be the prime landing spot for the most coveted pro wrestling free agent of 2023 thus far and it would not be a surprise if AEW president Tony Khan opens up his checkbook to sign the 30-year-old star.

White brings with him a resume that features winning the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship, Intercontinental Championship, NEVER Openweight Championship and IWGP United States Heavyweight titles once making him the fifth NJPW Triple Crown Champion and first-ever NJPW Grand Slam Champion.