Jay White‘s move to WWE looks to be off as the company look to sign a “much bigger star” this Wrestlemania season. The New Zealander has been on fire in the last few years, cutting some of the best promos in wrestling and backing them up with main-event quality matches whenever he sets foot into a ring
He recently left the company after losing a “Loser Leaves Japan” match against Hikuelo at New Beginnings in Osaka, prompting rumours of a move stateside. AEW and WWE are favourites for his signature but things have taken in sharp turn in recent weeks regarding Jay White to WWE.
On the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (as reported by Wrestling Purists), Dave Meltzer reported that Jay White looks unlikely to be signing for the WWE. The Kiwi has been on the radar of AEW and WWE in recent years and now that he left NJPW rumours of his future have been swirling.
While many fans want him to end up in the WWE with the likes of Roman Reigns and Cody Rhodes, those inside the company have not heard anything about signing Jay White. Those who normally know about big signings around Wrestlemania time have no heard anything, which likely indicates that he won’t be joining WWE, with AEW being a more likely destination.
Those in WWE who would normally know of major acquisitions during Mania season didn’t know about what’s happening with Jay White & only said that there was a much bigger major free agent in play right now that was internally the priority.
Meltzer also noted that there was a “much bigger major free agent in play right now that was internally the priority.”. Given that Jay White is a former IWGP Heavyweight Champion and main event Wrestle Kingdom this year (NJPW’s equivalent of Wrestlemania) it would have to be a huge get for them to justify missing out on one of the best wrestlers in the world.
As there are no free agents as big as him currently unsigned, you have to look towards some AEW stars whose contracts may be coming to an end soon. The Young Bucks have been put on ice regarding storylines in recent months as contract talks have stalled. Tony Kham allegedly does not want to feature them too much with their future up in the air, so Matt and Nick Jackson could be looking to move away from the company when their contracts expire later this year.
Another “much bigger star” could be the former WWE Champion CM Punk. The two-time AEW Champion is currently out with a a injury but should be cleared to return to the ring soon. However, he had a fight with the Young Bucks and Kenny Omega following his explosive press conference at All Out 2022, leading to his suspension. He has not been seen since and there are rumours that he was fired by AEW for his efforts. Despite his controversies, he is undoubtably one of the biggest stars in wrestling today and would be a incredible addition to the WWE roster.
