Former IWGP Heavyweight Champion Jay White recently made his debut in AEW, but is thankful for WWE star Finn Balor for getting him a chance to work for New Japan Pro Wrestling.
The New Zealander made his AEW debut on AEW Dynamite this week, after being invited to the show by former fellow Bullet Club member Adam Cole.
White looks set to have a huge future in AEW. He has had a fantastic run in NJPW so far, winning the NEVER Openweight, IWGP Intercontinental Championship and IWGP Heavyweight Championship among other accolades in NJPW.
He showcased his incredible in-ring ability in multiple high-profile matches agaisnt NJPW legends like Hiroshi Tanahashi and Kazuchika Okada. He defeated “The Ace” Tanahashi to win hia only World Championship so far, but will hope that he can add to that tally in All Elite Wrestling.
Jay White has spoken in multiple interviews, including to NJPW and on Talk is Jericho, about how Finn Balor was the reason he made it into NJPW, and that he never expected being the leader of Bullet Club.
“I don’t think I predicted being at the front of the group, but it was almost determined from the start would be a part of the group. Connections I had to (Prince) Devitt and (Bad Luck) Fale are what brought me into NJPW in the very first place. There’s too many roots that were planted in me from the start, I think.‘
In addition, he spoke to Chris Jericho on Talk is Jericho about how Finn Balor discovered him whilst wrestling in England. He noticed the Kiwi wrestling in the North of England for legendary promoter Brian Dixon, and told fellow Bullet Club member and Kiwi Bad Luck Fale about Jay White.
Fale then convinced NJPW to give White a spot in the New Japan dojo, whilst Fale, Balor and Shinsuke Nakamura helped Jay White sort out his visa whilst the trio wrestled for RevPro wrestling.
Jay White is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling, although he is still signed to New Japan as far as we know. It is likely that after the pandemic is over in Japan he will return to the main NJPW show for matches against stars like Will Ospreay and Shingo Tagaki.
