Jay White is a professional wrestler hailing from New Zealand, and is signed to New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) where he is a former one-time IWGP Heavyweight and IWGP United States Heavyweight Champion.
White initially trained under The UK Kid at Varsity Pro Wrestling in early 2013, and made his professional debut on 19 February, working for VPW as well as All Star Wrestling, among other promotions. In early 2014, White met New Japan Pro Wrestling's Prince Devitt and competed alongside him in a tag team match for VPW. After the match, Devitt gave White his card and told him to keep in touch. Shortly thereafter, White was contacted by Bad Luck Fale, who said that Devitt had spoke to NJPW officials about White and that he could get him a place as a young lion in the dojo if he wanted it. Several months later, White met with Fale, Devitt, and Shinsuke Nakamura in London, where White accepted their offer and began finalizing his visa to leave for the NJPW dojo.
White made his in-ring debut for NJPW on 30 January 2015, losing in his match against Alex Shelley. Unsurprisingly enough, White lost all of his eight matches in 2015, as is common for young lions in NJPW. In 2016, White began gaining more victories, and on 27 March competed in his biggest match to date when he was defeated by then-reigning IWGP Intercontinental Champion Kenny Omega in a non-title match.
In June, he left for a foreign learning excursion during which he worked most notably for the American Ring of Honor (ROH) and the British Revolution Pro Wrestling (RPW) promotions through NJPW's international partnerships. On June 6th 2017, White received his biggest title opportunity in his career when after winning a Battle Royal he unsuccessfully challenged Christopher Daniels for The ROH World Championship in a triple threat match. At Best in the World 2017 White, teaming with Search and Destroy defeated The Rebellion in a losers must disband match thus keeping the group together.
On November 5, 2017, at Power Struggle, White returned to NJPW as the mysterious "Switchblade", who had been teased for the past several months, challenging Hiroshi Tanahashi to a match for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship at Wrestle Kingdom 12 in Tokyo Dome, before attacking him. The following day, NJPW officially announced the match between Tanahashi and White for Wrestle Kingdom 12. On January 4, White was defeated by Tanahashi in the title match. On January 5, Jay teased joining Bullet Club; however, White then betrayed Kenny Omega by attacking him with a Blade Runner. A day later he joined the Chaos faction in order to face off against Bullet Club and Kenny Omega, claiming he needed backup in his fight against Bullet Club. On January 28th at the New Beginning in Sapporo, White defeated Omega to become the second IWGP United States Champion in the title's history. On March 25, he went on to defend the title for the first time against Hangman Page at NJPW Strong Style Evolved Event in Long Beach, California. White would make his second successful title defence against David Finlay at Road to Dontaku. White would make his third defense of the title beating Punishment Martinez during the ROH/NJPW War of the Worlds Tour in Toronto, Canada. At Dominion 6.9 in Osaka-jo Hall, White suffered a pin fall loss in a tag team match to Juice Robinson. Because of this, White defended but lost the title to Juice at the G1 Special in San Francisco.
During the 2018 World Tag League, White faced off in multiple tag team matches against Okada and Tanahashi, won by White and his Bullet Club stablemates. On November 3, at Power Struggle, White and Okada agreed to face each other in a match, which was later set to be at Wrestle Kingdom 13 in Tokyo Dome. On January 14, at Road to Tokyo Dome tour, White would try to help Gedo to defeat Okada in his match but was unsuccessful and Okada managed to win the match, despite White's interference. On January 4, 2019, White defeated Okada. Later that night, White challenged Tanahashi to a match for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship. On February 11, 2019 at The New Beginning in Osaka, White defeated Tanahashi to become the new IWGP Heavyweight Champion. He lost the title to Kazuchika Okada on April 6 at G1 Supercard.
Jay White
“Switchblade”, “Knife Pervert”
220 lbs (100 kg)
Auckland, New Zealand
Kiwi Krusher (Outside leg hook fisherman driver), Blade Runner/Shellshock (Swinging reverse STO)
Boston crab, Crossface, Dropkick, Knife edge chop, Lariat, Leaping followed with back elbow to an oncoming opponent, Running Death Valley driver, Ura-nage
UK Kid, NJPW Dojo
129/3/219 out of 451 matches
“Crossbody” by Yonosuke Kitamura, “Switchblade” by Yonosuke Kitamura
People Also Ask
In 2018, he betrayed his fellow Chaos stablemates to join Bullet Club, and was eventually named the new leader
26 years (9 October 1992)
The leader of the Bullet Club has often become one of the top three or four wrestlers in the NJPW promotion. It happened with Prince Devitt, AJ Styles and Kenny Omega. Omega offered White a spot in the group in January of last year, but White declined.
