Tag: Jay White

AEW Dynamite live results: The battle for Takeshita’s soul turns bloody

Plus there’s two title matches and an appearance by Tony Khan.

It’s time to find MJF a top contender once and for all tonight on AEW Dynamite from Sunrise, Fla.

You may recall that the AEW World Champion has been called one of the Four Pillars of the company, and that the other three all made it clear they’d like a shot at his title. MJF skillfully played them off against each other, even aiding Sammy Guevara in defeating “Jungle Boy” Jack Perry.

But now Guevara is just a victory over Darby Allin away from getting that title shot himself. Is having Sammy win part of MJF’s plan too, or does he have another trick up his sleeve?

There are also two title matches on the AEW Dynamite card tonight. Jade Cargill will put both her TBS Championship and her undefeated record on the line against Taya Valkyrie, possibly her most powerful opponent to date. And since it’s another week, it must mean another Orange Cassidy title defense, this time against Bandido.

Also, as you may have heard Tony Khan will be appearing on this week’s episode as well. Is he about to confirm to the world that we’ll all be watching two more hours of AEW action every week on Saturday night? Or is this particular announcement about something else?

There’s only one way to find out, and that’s to tune in tonight at 8 p.m. on TBS. Well, actually two ways, because you can also return to this post as we update it with AEW Dynamite live results as they happen from Sunrise.

AEW Dynamite results from Sunrise, Fla.:

(click on any match with a link for more details)

  • Orange Cassidy def. Bandido by pinfall to retain the AEW International Championship; after the match, the two men share signs of respect, including Cassidy putting his sunglasses on Bandido
  • Adam Cole tells Renee Paquette he’s going to call out Chris Jericho … and if Jericho doesn’t come out, Cole will go find him; Cassidy and Bandido are told what’s going on and say “oh”
  • Darby Allin tries to squash things with Jack Perry, but they seem too competitive with each other to be sure that Perry will prevent any hijinks in Allin’s match tonight
  • Jeff Jarrett def. Dax Harwood by pinfall … by cheating, of course, then poses with Harwood’s tag team title bout
  • Tony Khan announces the Owen Hart Foundation tournaments are back again this year, and will include matches at Forbidden Door with the finals in Calgary this summer
  • Wardlow def. a jobber by pinfall in a quick squash match, and has another staredown with Luchasaurus
  • MJF and Sammy Guevara sure seem to still be on the same page as they vow that Sammy will defeat Darby, and they exchange gifts (vests and scarfs)
  • Poor RJ City gets laid out backstage by the Blackpool Combat Club
  • Sammy Guevara def. Darby Allin by DQ when MJF makes it seem like Darby used a skateboard to hit Sammy … but an announcement is made that Allin and Perry will team to face MJF and Guevara next week, and if the faces win, both of them are added to the title match at Double or Nothing
  • MJF and Guevara are furious, but Sammy gets left behind as MJF leaves the building
  • “Jericho, I know you can hear me you son of a bitch!” Cole swears he will beat Jericho within an inch of his life, but all he gets is The Ocho on the big screen sending the JAS to the ring … but Cassidy, Bandido and the debuting Roderick Strong help even the odds and clear the ring
  • QT Marshall tells the QTV crew they need to “go to Plan B” after a visit from an angry Powerhouse Hobbs
  • Jade Cargill def. Taya Valkyrie by pinfall to retain the AEW TBS Championship
  • Britt Baker and Jamie Hayter look somewhat the worse for wear but vow that even though The Outcasts declared war, the only way they’ll stop coming is if they are sent to the morgue
  • Ricky Starks and Shawn Spears exchange trash talk with Jay White and Juice Robinson ahead of their match on Rampage this Friday
  • Kenny Omega and Konosuke Takeshita def. The Butcher and The Blade by pinfall, but Bryan Danielson is with the announcers and distracts them for a full scale BCC assault … until the Young Bucks arrive, though Takeshita stops Omega from using a screwdriver on Jon Moxley and ends up having Mox use it on him

AEW Dynamite results: Komander thrills but still falls to Jay White

Jay White takes a lot of high spots but still wins his AEW Dynamite debut.

Jay White is accompanied by his Bullet Club Gold mate, Juice Robinson. And if you thought he would talk less while he wrestles in the U.S., nope, he’s still as talkative as ever.

Shawn Spears is shown looking on as well as White treats Komander to some hard chops before the masked man outhustles Switchblade in the corner. Komander does some crazy rope work before hitting an inverted hurricanrana, but he finds no one home on a moonsault to the floor and gets dumped back first on the apron.

After side by side ads, White has managed to slow down his masked foe, who definitely doesn’t want to exchange chops with King Switch. Komander rallies with an acrobatic pinning predicament, but White kicks out and hits a solid clothesline.

White talks trash in the corner but sees Komander slip away. He’s got something crazy planned as he stretches White’s shoulder, and Switchblade gets dumped out to the floor.

A thrust kick returns White to the floor, and Komander does the full ring rope walk before he somersaults to the floor onto White. Spears gives that a 10. A Shooting Star Press connects, but Komander can’t cover right away and only gets two. A springboard Phoenix Splash follows, and White kicks out again.

White looks for Blade Runner but gets caught in a hold and has to counter his way out with a suplex. He spikes Komander with a vicious Blade Runner, and that’s enough to end it.

Robinson and Spears are getting into it, but Ricky Starks arrives to prevent any Bullet Club Gold shenanigans.

Click here for full AEW Dynamite results from Pittsburgh.

AEW Dynamite results: MJF, Sammy Guevara conspire against the other Pillars

Plus Jay White vs. Komander, a big women’s tag team match, Adam Cole and Chris Jericho face to face, and more.

Pittsburgh, where you at? AEW Dynamite rolls into the hometown of all things black and yellow, as well as Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D., for two hours of action headlined by a “the Earth will shake” type of confrontation between two very muscular gentlemen.

One of those is Powerhouse Hobbs, current holder of the AEW TNT Championship. The other is Wardlow, the man Hobbs beat to get the title in the first place. As Jim Ross might say, this has the makings of a slobberknocker.

Also in action tonight is King Switch himself, Jay White. He’s already stirring up waves since arriving in AEW, what with beating down Ricky Starks and declaring a new, possibly-not-OK-with-the-original version of Bullet Club. But he is going to wrestle too, and he’ll do that in Dynamite for the first time against Komander.

Oh, and Baker isn’t sitting this episode out either, not by a long shot. She and AEW Women’s World Champion Jamie Hayter have about had enough of The Outcasts, so they’re going to try to do something about it by facing Ruby Soho and Toni Storm. Do they have an ace up their sleeves if Saraya decides to interfere? One would hope.

We’ll also get to see The Acclaimed in action with Daddy Ass against the Jericho Appreciation Society, Chris Jericho and Adam Cole will have a face-to-face showdown of some sort, and we’ll hear from FTR and The Elite. Lots of fighting, lots of talking about fighting. Which is just the way we like it, honestly.

All of it goes down on TBS at 8 p.m. ET, and in a change from most weeks, live on the west coast at that same time, 5 p.m. PT. If you can’t watch, please consider hopping back here for AEW Dynamite live results ’cause we’ll be serving them up all evening.

AEW Dynamite results from Pittsburgh:

(click on match results for more details)

  • “It’s not called the Sting Appreciation Society.” Darby Allin thinks Sammy Guevara is being held back, believes Jack Perry is part of a “hand-picked California clique,” and all the Pillars end up taking shots at each other, so MJF says Perry and Guevara will wrestle each other tonight as part of a “Pillars Tournament” to decide who gets a title shot at Double or Nothing

  • Jamie Hayter and Britt Baker def. Ruby Soho and Toni Storm by submission when Baker gets Soho to tap out to the Lockjaw
  • Wardlow tells Renee Paquette that he reached out to a Horseman to even the odds tonight, and Arn Anderson has some counsel for him
  • “Who’s gonna pay to see a promo from a bunch of amateurs?” Bryan Danielson appears on the big screen as a setup for the Blackpool Combat Club to attack The Elite, who get a hand when things look glum from Konosuke Takeshita

  • Wardlow def. Powerhouse Hobbs by pinfall to become the new AEW TNT Champion, then sees Christian Cage and Luchasaurus come to the ramp to stare him down
  • MJF offers Guevara a blank check to assure his spot in Double or Nothing, and he names his price and hugs on it
  • Jay White def. Komander by pinfall, and Ricky Starks arrives to help onlooker Shawn Spears fight off White and Juice Robinson
  • The battle for Mark Briscoe’s heart and soul makes unlikely allies out of Jay Lethal and Jeff Jarrett and FTR
  • “I think the real Chris Jericho is an insecure, fickle, stupid idiot.” Chris Jericho says he has “zero respect” for Adam Cole, who gives it right back to him, and The Outcasts come to neutralize Baker; a handcuffed Cole has to watch as Saraya beats Baker with a kendo stick

  • The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass def. Daddy Magic, Cool Hand Ang and Jake Hager by pinfall
  • Sammy Guevara def. Jack Perry by countout thanks to a cheap shot from MJF, who celebrates with Sammy in the ring afterward

AEW Dynamite preview, April 19: Hobbs vs. Wardlow, Jay White in action

A TNT Championship match and the Dynamite debut of King Switch are top reasons to watch this week.

AEW Dynamite rolls into Pittsburgh tonight for both the usual two-hour live show and a taping of Rampage — which is on Saturday night this week instead of Friday, thank to the NHL Playoffs.

Here are the top three things to watch for from the Steel City.

Powerhouse Hobbs defends the TNT Championship against Wardlow

Since winning the title in March, Powerhouse Hobbs has been a fighting champion, fending off challenges from both members of the Lucha Bros., among others. But now the man who he beat for the belt, Wardlow, has returned, and he’s made it clear he’d like it back.

Alas, Hobbs is unlikely to politely return it, so that means a “big, meaty men slapping meat” special. Someone please alert Big E.

Jamie Hayter and Britt Baker take on Ruby Soho and Toni Storm

Good guys need more friends. It’s one of our favorite adages here at Wrestling Junkie, as heel groups so often have the numbers game working in their favor. The Outcasts certainly have, even though they’re only a team of three.

Maybe AEW Women’s World Champion Jamie Hayter and Britt Baker don’t need more than that. They’re clearly fed up with the villainous trio, and considering tonight’s show is in Brittsburgh, they’re going to want to show out.

Jay White makes his AEW Dynamite in-ring debut

AEW turned heads by signing Jay White when so many reports suggested WWE wanted him too. NJPW fans know very well how he can go between the ropes, but the US TV audience will get its first real chance this week.

Komander wasn’t exactly the first choice many would have expected for this spot, but he’s super talented and a highlight waiting to happen. This should be fun.

Everything else promoted for AEW Dynamite tonight

  • The Acclaimed and Daddy Ass go up against Daddy Magic, Cool Hand Ang and Jake Hager (and his hat) of the Jericho Appreciation Society
  • Chris Jericho and Adam Cole (bay bay) have a face-to-face confrontation
  • We’ll hear from FTR and The Elite, though probably not in the same segment

Opening Bell: Jay White makes Dynamite debut, Trish Stratus explains her turn

Get set for the week in WWE and AEW with Opening Bell: quick previews of Raw, SmackDown, Dynamite and Rampage.

Welcome to the Opening Bell, where we round up what’s been announced for WWE (Raw and SmackDown) and AEW (Dynamite and Rampage) programming for the week we’ve just begun.

WWE Raw preview – Monday, April 17, Simmons Bank Arena, North Little Rock, AR

Why, Trish Stratus, why?

That’s what many WWE fans want to know after the Hall of Famer ruined what appeared to be a perfectly good partnership she had going with Becky Lynch and fellow legend Lita. Was it just jealousy over not being part of the tag team champions, or was Trish simply following a precedent from way back? We’ll apparently hear directly from her mouth Monday on Raw.

United States Champion Austin Theory doesn’t need to explain himself at all, given that he’s on a roll that includes a big WrestleMania victory over John Cena. Talking might not be the best idea anyway against his opponent this week, Bobby Lashley. He’s more of an actions over words guy, and besides, they know each other well from previous clashes.

A match that was originally promoted for last week until travel gremlins struck will be back in North Little Rock too. Well, half of it, anyway. The Miz was going to face Matt Riddle last Monday, but now he’s going up against Seth Rollins instead. You decide whether that’s better or worse for the A-Lister.

Last and certainly not least, Brock Lesnar will be back on Raw this week as well. You may recall that Cody Rhodes challenged him to a match at Backlash after the Beast Incarnate decided to beat him down instead of tagging with him against the Bloodline. We’ll miss happy-go-lucky Cowboy Brock, but we’re definitely interested to see what this return to his more vengeful side holds. And Backlash needs a main event, so … yeah.

AEW Dynamite preview – Wednesday, April 19, Petersen Events Center, Pittsburgh

Buckle up everyone. Jay White, a.k.a. King Switch, a.k.a. the Catalyst, a.k.a. one half of Bullet Club Gold, apparently, a.k.a. numerous other things, is ready to start making his presence known in AEW. That begins this week when he faces Komander in what looks like a fantastic Dynamite debut.

A championship will also be on the line in Pittsburgh between two large men who still have unfinished business with each other. Powerhouse Hobbs is looking to make the chapter in his book where he’s the TNT Champion a long one, but Wardlow wants that title back around his own waist. Something has to give — hopefully not the ring.

A big tag women’s tag team match is also on the slate. The Outcasts have been running roughshod for weeks, but now they’ve angered their two highest profile foes into a match. Can Ruby Soho and Toni Storm keep their winning ways going against AEW Women’s World Champion Jamie Hayter and Britt Baker?

And that’s not all. When you tune in for Dynamite Wednesday, you can also expect:

WWE SmackDown preview – Friday, April 21, Value City Arena at The Schottenstein Center, Columbus, OH

O-hi-o, you’ve got championship matches incoming this week on SmackDown. Recently crowned Women’s Tag Team Champions Liv Morgan and Raquel Rodriguez will try to make their first title defense a successful one when they face the challenge of Chelsea Green and Sonya Deville.

Gunther has held his Intercontinental Championship a lot longer and fended off a number of different wrestlers with their eyes on his gold. He thinks Xavier Woods is a “goof,” but the last man standing in The New Day will try to show the Ring General he’s a serious threat in Columbus.

On top of those title bouts, there’s a tag team match that figures to be somewhat significant. Braun Strowman and Ricochet got laid out by the Viking Raiders, and they’re not likely to be in a forgiving mood when the two teams meet on Friday night.

AEW Rampage preview – Saturday, April 22, Petersen Events Center, Pittsburgh (recorded on April 19)

Perhaps the most important thing to remember about AEW Rampage this week is that it’s not on Friday thanks to the NHL Playoffs. It will air on Saturday at 10 p.m. instead.

That’s pretty late on a different night, but AEW has a heck of a hook to try to get you to watch: El Hijo del Vikingo will defend his AAA Mega Championship against Dralistico. Yes, that’s an insane match to randomly throw on a show that’s on an unusual night, but don’t question it, just roll with it because it’s almost sure to be amazing.

Bullet Club: Who’s in, who’s out?

With David Finlay as self-appointed leader and Bullet Club Gold springing up in AEW, things are changing quickly.

As hard is may seem to believe, we’re coming up rapidly on the 10-year anniversary of Bullet Club. Arguably the most influential stable in all of pro wrestling during that time, the group came together for the first time on May 3, 2013, when Prince Devitt (you may know him better now as Finn Balor) turned on Ryusuke Taguchi and formed a pact with Karl Anderson, Bad Luck Fale and Tama Tonga.

The Bullet Club roster grew and morphed numerous times, and it expanded its influence far beyond NJPW. Some of the top talent in WWE, AEW and promotions all around the world have thrown up the “Too Sweet” sign at one time or another.

But while the leadership of Bullet Club has changed hands several times — occasionally against the leader’s will — and subgroups have formed that don’t always align perfectly with the direction of the main group, the recent ouster of Jay White (necessary because his NJPW contract was coming to an end) set an especially turbulent time in Bullet Club lore in motion.

So who’s in Bullet Club and who’s out? Let’s take a look at the rundown by promotion.

NJPW

In: David Finlay, Bad Luck Fale, Chase Owens, Dick Togo, Evil, Gedo, Kenta, Sho, Taiji Ishimori, Yujiro Takahashi

Out: El Phantasmo

With White gone, it left a leadership void that Finlay was only too happy to fill. Whether he has the support of the entire main Bullet Club group remains to be seen, but if it sticks, this will be his highest profile run in his New Japan career.

Phantasmo was a White loyalist and he paid for it last week, getting violently ejected from the stable at Sakura Genesis.

Impact Wrestling

In: Ace Austin, Chris Bey

Bey was recruited to Bullet Club by White, but there’s no reason to think he isn’t still in good standing. The same goes with Austin, who officially joined the group about a month before his tag team partner.

Most importantly, both men still have Bullet Club in their Twitter bios, and we all know those are unassailable.

AEW

In (according to them): Jay White, Juice Robinson

Unaffected by any drama in Japan, Robinson has been up front about his Bullet Club loyalties since he signed with AEW in December. The real intrigue began when White, who had been rumored to be talking with WWE, became All Elite a few weeks.

On the April 12 episode of Dynamite, White and Robinson declared themselves “Bullet Club Gold,” and fans have taken them to literally mean they were creating their own offshoot. Numerous viewers also noticed they did the guns up taunt but not the “Too Sweet” gesture.

Might that mean something? Finlay seemed to fire a shot across the bow of White and Robinson on Twitter, though this was before this week’s Dynamite.

Reading through the replies to that tweet, one quickly gets the impression that fans aren’t sold yet on Finlay as Bullet Club leader and may back White if there turns out to be a full fledged BC civil war. With Forbidden Door 2023 only a few months away, everything seems to be in place for the rockiest era in the group’s storied history to potentially break out into open combat in the ring.

Stay tuned.

AEW Dynamite results: Swerve settles a score, The Elite stands strong

Live AEW Dynamite results for April 12, 2023 in Milwaukee, with Orange Cassidy defending his International Championship vs. Buddy Matthews.

If it’s Wednesday, and both the calendar and our boss assures us it is, it must be time for AEW Dynamite. Tonight’s show originates from Milwaukee, and a familiar formula for the card promises some good action.

For starters, we’ve got championship matches, as in plural. Orange Cassidy, a working man’s champion in every way but demeanor, is set to defend his AEW International Championship yet again. The challenger is someone who already has one title, Buddy Matthews of the House of Black, who would be a surprising yet not undeserving double champ if he wins.

Powerhouse Hobbs is another titleholder who isn’t about to back down from any challenge, even the open variety. Milwaukee will bear witness to Silas Young trying his best to wrest the TNT Championship from Hobbs, though that will be no easy task.

A pair of tag team matches have also been promoted. Riho and Skye Blue are among the women brave enough to stand up to The Outcasts so far. They’ll have to do it again tonight when they face Ruby Soho and Toni Storm. On the men’s side, the BCC has run through pretty much everyone its faced the last few weeks, and will try to do so again when Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli face … (checks notes) … Brandon Cutler and Michael Nakazawa? Oh dear.

Two former partners whose paths have diverged wildly will also be in action on Dynamite. Keith Lee will take on Chris Jericho, while Swerve Strickland will face off with Darby Allin.

Finally, while AEW World Champion MJF made it clear he didn’t want to go to Milwaukee, he’s contractually obligated to be there. So yeah, that’ll be happening too.

AEW Dynamite results in 60 seconds:

  • Darby Allin def. Swerve Strickland by pinfall
  • MJF has to be here so he might as well insult Darby Allin, but he didn’t figure on Sting joining the party
  • Powerhouse Hobbs def. Silas Young by pinfall to retain the AEW TNT Championship …
  • … but then Wardlow destroys Hobbs’ car and poor Aaron solo
  • Jay White and Juice Robinson say this will be the greatest era of the Bullet Club ever
  • Orange Cassidy def. Buddy Matthews by pinfall to retain the AEW International Championship
  • Christian Cage and Luchasaurus say some things have changes; well, just Cage, really
  • Renee Paquette tries to get a medical update on Cassidy’s hand, while Best Friends want to fight Aussie Open on Rampage
  • Ethan Page thinks he has one up on Matt Hardy and Private Party, but The Firm didn’t plan on the arrival of Hook … and Jeff Hardy
  • A sullen Kenny Omega says hurting Don Callis crossed the line, and what happens next time he sees the Blackpool Combat Club will be “much, much worse” that blood for blood
  • Jon Moxley and Claudio Castagnoli def. Brandon Cutler and Michael Nakazawa by referee stoppage but end up retreating once Omega and the Young Bucks all hit the ring
  • Swerve says the Mogul Embassy is going to leave there with something
  • Ruby Soho and Toni Storm def. Riho and Skye Blue by pinfall, but Jamie Hayter and Britt Baker chase off The Outcasts after the match
  • Chris Jericho def. Keith Lee by pinfall after Swerve hits Lee with a foreign object; Adam Cole comes out to ensure no one attacks Lee after the match

Please scroll down for more details on every match and major non-match segment.

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.

Who should face Bobby Lashley at WrestleMania if Bray Wyatt is out?

We give our three ideas for WWE’s backup plan for Bobby Lashley at SoFi Stadium.

With less than 10 days to go until WrestleMania, most of the pieces of the card are in place. Sure, the Mysterios haven’t made their father-son showdown official yet, nor have all the women’s tag team showcase duos been finalized, but that should all be taken care of by the end of this Friday’s SmackDown.

Then there’s Bobby Lashley.

Despite the fact that it always seemed an odd fit, Lashley was set to take on Bray Wyatt in Los Angeles, and had begun a program to that end. He was the subject of ridicule from Bray’s Muscle Man Dance (though Bray also got teased about it on social media) and even beat up Uncle Howdy, a rare feat so far.

Yet through no fault of his own, the All Mighty is currently in limbo. Wyatt hasn’t been available in weeks, reportedly due to illness of some sort, and it looks increasingly likely that he’ll miss WrestleMania.

Lashley, however, maintains that someone is going to feel his wrath.

The question, of course, is who (or as The New Day might say, “Who? Who? Who?”)? Here are a few off the cuff ideas as a backup plan to fight Lashley at the Showcase of the Immortals.

LA Knight

If there was an award for being a good soldier and rolling with everything thrown at them, LA Knight would deserve it. He shook off the regrettable time he spent as Max Dupri and immediately went right back to being over with live crowds everywhere … and for his troubles, he’s mostly been jobbed out ever since.

Knight also took one for the team losing the Pitch Black match to Wyatt, so he’s due for something in return. A WrestleMania match against Lashley would fit the bill nicely.

Randy Orton

There’s no indication that Randy Orton is ready to return to in-ring action after nearly a year away due to back issues. But there have been reports that he will be in L.A. for WrestleMania, and pics of him on social media suggest he’s in fantastic shape.

If WWE goes the surprise opponent route for Lashley, imagine the crowd reaction when “Voices” hits in SoFi Stadium. The problem would be booking it: Orton would be big time over as a face just because he’s returning from a lengthy absence, so you wouldn’t want him to take an ‘L’ … but probably wouldn’t want Lashley to lose either (though the “I wasn’t prepared for him!” explanation is a reliable standby).

But hey, that’s why they pay Paul Levesque the big bucks to figure things like that out.

Jay White

Before anyone accuses us of rumor mongering, no, there’s been no indication that Jay White has signed with WWE. Earlier this week, stories in various outlets suggested he was “50/50” between signing with WWE and AEW.

But let’s dream big here: Let’s say White agrees to a contract before the end of this week and Levesque says, “Welcome aboard! How fast can you get to Los Angeles?” They do the Lashley vs. mystery opponent bit as above, but instead of Orton, it’s a debuting White.

It’s true that there are plenty of WWE fans, especially at a show the size of WrestleMania, who might not know White or only recognize his name. The guess would be the excitement from people who do know him would more than make up for that, and there wouldn’t be any better way to present him as a major player going forward.

If Jay White is on his way to WWE, that’s news to insiders

White himself has spoken about wanting to explore all his options, but many still expect he’ll end up in WWE eventually.

It’s possible Jay White will show up in WWE in the near future after finishing his contract with New Japan Pro-Wrestling. But if it’s a done deal, some of the people who would usually know about it either don’t know or are keeping it very quiet.

In this week’s edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (subscription needed), Dave Meltzer confirmed earlier reports from the Super J-Cast that White’s NJPW deal had officially expired and he was free to sign with anyone. That was the direction he had been trending for some time, first dropping a Loser Leaves Japan match to Hikuleo, then tasting defeat at the hands of Eddie Kingston with a Loser Leaves NJPW stipulation at Battle in the Valley in San Jose last month. It’s hard to signal any harder that someone is leaving a promotion.

Yet while White has been tight-lipped, perhaps out of contractual necessity, about his next move, the rumor and scoop mill has been churning with reports that WWE was his likely landing spot. Meltzer threw at least a little cold water on the hopes of it being imminent in the newsletter.

While all the circumstances seem to indicate he’s headed to WWE, there has still been no confirmation of that. 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.

Could White be signed and the circle who knows about it just be smaller than usual? Of course.

It could also be a matter of timing. WrestleMania is now less than a month away, and even though only four matches have been announced so far, a number of others are far enough along in terms of the seeds WWE has planted for them that the show appears pretty full.

White would make more sense as a post-WrestleMania addition, someone to help shake things up as new storylines begin after the big event in Los Angeles. All of which is to say WWE fans might get to breathe with the Switchblade at some point, but they shouldn’t hold their breath waiting for it on any Raw or SmackDown for the next few weeks.