WWE’s loss is AEW’s gain as Jay White is All Elite

WWE had been said to have interest in signing White, but it’s AEW who pulled it off.

The last time Jay White appeared in AEW, it was just a temporary visit to help set the stage for Forbidden Door. This time, he’s going to be sticking around for a while.

White appeared in the first segment of this week’s episode of AEW Dynamite, assisting former (or perhaps not) Bullet Club teammate Juice Robinson with an attack on Ricky Starks. AEW CEO Tony Khan quickly confirmed White had signed with the company in his usual fashion on Twitter.

The feeling of surprise circling around the internet following that reveal was due in large part to previous reports from Fightful and elsewhere that WWE hoped to sign White and sources even felt confident about doing so. That talk had cooled recently, and White obviously felt comfortable working out a deal with AEW.

What AEW is getting in the New Zealander is a former champion in NJPW still smack dab in the middle of his prime at age 30. White has become as good on the microphone as he is in the ring, and though he might not be the kind of name who will make an immediate ratings and ticket sales impact, it’s not hard to imagine him becoming a major star in AEW.

It will be interesting to see if any other former Bullet Club members join White or if he and Robinson decide to recruit some stateside help. Either way, he is someone to absolutely keep an eye on over the rest of 2023 and beyond for his potential to provide new and intriguing upper card matchups.