Jay White is All Elite after making his AEW return by attacking Ricky Starks with Juice Robinson to kick off Wednesday’s Dynamite. Tony Khan then announced that he had signed with All Elite Wrestling.
When it was revealed a few months ago that he was leaving NJPW as his contract was about to expire, it was reported that he had interest from both AEW and WWE.
On Tuesday, it was reported that there was no mention of White during the WrestleMania 39 weekend, and it did not appear that White was headed to WWE.
Dave Meltzer stated on Wrestling Observer Radio that it was White’s decision.
“Well, Jay White is a great wrestler, a great physiological wrestler. I’m surprised because if he’s with AEW, he could go back to New Japan in theory, but he lost those matches that said he couldn’t. WWE was after him. It was his choice between the two sides, and this was the side he chose. It’s a feather in the cap of AEW and Tony Khan. He got the guy. That’s a good thing for AEW. Now they have to use him the right way,” Meltzer stated.
WWE’s interest in White was strong, according to Grapsody’s Will Washington of Fightful, and some in the company were confident they would sign him.
WWE was VERY interested. Multiple people the company were confident it would happen.
Definitely not just a Twitter thing. https://t.co/hEsyU3TT8a
— Will Washington (@WilliamRBR) April 6, 2023
(h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription)
