Jay White Could “Conquer America” While Still Part Of NJPW
Former WWE and current NJPW commentator Kevin Kelly doesn’t think just because Jay White’s time in Japan might be over it doesn’t mean that it’s the end for Switchblade in New Japan Pro Wrestling.
At The New Beginning in Osaka, Jay White lost a ‘Loser Leaves Japan’ match to Hikuleo, apparently bringing his time in the country to an end.
Speaking on the Shining Wizards Wrestling Podcast, Kevin Kelly discussed the loss for Jay White and what it might mean while also praising Hikuleo for living up to his role in the match:
“None of us were happy about it. It was a lose-lose situation. It was either gonna be ‘Switchblade’ Jay White, the current top guy, or Hikuleo, the future top guy. Do I want to give up my All-Pro wide receiver, or do I want to give up my number one draft pick, who in a couple of years is gonna hopefully top all the records that the All-Pro set?”
“I think it speaks to the level of talent that Hikukeo has that he was in that spot. Let’s say Ken Patera wanted to leave the WWWF. He wouldn’t wrestle a Jose Estrada in a Loser Leave the Company match. He would wrestle a Chief Jay Strongbow, a top guy. He would wrestle a Pedro Morales, and the Intercontinental Title would be on the line. That’s what you’d have. So Hikukeo is in that conversation with Jay White, although Hikukeo hasn’t done what Jay White has done yet.“
Recent reports suggested that Jay White is looking to move to the US with many believing that meant a move to WWE or AEW, but as Kelly points out, he could be spearheading NJPW’s own operations there:
“I don’t think so. I think this is just what he’s doing. What else is there for him to do except conquer America? Where in that is written that he can’t do that under the New Japan banner? I don’t know, we seem to have some operations that are based in the US.”