With speculation around his future mounting, Jay White has officially wrestled his final match in a New Japan Pro Wrestling ring.
On February 11th, The Switchblade was banished from Japan at the hands of Hikuleo. The loss didn’t faze him for long, though, as the former IWGP World Heavyweight Champion set his sights on taking over New Japan’s US division, STRONG.
The first step on White’s return to domination was supposed to be the defeat of AEW’s Eddie Kingston at Battle in the Valley. White was so sure of victory that he accepted Kingston’s challenge to increase the risks of the bout by making it a ‘Loser Leaves NJPW’ match only a day before it was due to take place.
Things started off badly for White as Bullet Club were banned from ringside. Despite this, he took Kingston to his limit and looked to be on the verge of victory with a Blade Runner when The Mad King clawed his eyes to escape. White got desperate and hit a low blow after the referee was incapacitated and another Blade Runner but Kingston escaped to the floor.
Back in the ring, it was all Eddie as he hit multiple Back-fists and a Northern Lights Driver for a two-count before picking up White, hugging his foe, and ending his NJPW career with another Northern Lights Driver.
David Finlay prevents Jay White’s farewell address
What is Finlay doing?!? #njBITVpic.twitter.com/eLFYpTliXQ
— FITE (@FiteTV) February 19, 2023
Following the match, as fans chanted “Thank You Jay”, White took a microphone and looked to make a farewell address. It wasn’t to be though, as David Finlay got in the ring and laid him out with a shillelagh.
Finlay then stood over his old foe and berated him for throwing his career away before telling him, “F**k your era”.
While many have speculated that this was the traditional beatdown that signals a change in Bullet Club leadership, it could just have been Finlay letting out his frustration that the man who has been his rival since the pair were Young Lions together has let his legacy in New Japan slip away.
While the future for Jay White remains unclear, recent reports have suggested that WWE is confident he will join past Bullet Club leaders Finn Balor and Jay White in making his home in the company.