.jpg) White in 2023 | |
| Personal information | |
|---|---|
| Born | James White (1992-10-09)9 October 1992 (age 33)[1] |
| Alma mater | Orewa College[4] |
Spouse | |
| Professional wrestling career | |
| Ring name | Jay White[1] |
| Billed height | 186 cm (6 ft 1 in)[1] |
| Billed weight | 101 kg (223 lb)[1] |
| Billed from | Auckland, New Zealand[2] |
| Trained by | The UK Kid[3] NJPW Dojo[3] Yuji Nagata[3] Hiroyoshi Tenzan[3] |
| Debut | 19 February 2013[1] |
Jamie White[5] (born 9 October 1992), better known by thering nameJay White, is a New Zealandprofessional wrestler. He is signed toAll Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he is the leader of theBullet Club sub-groupBang Bang Gang. White is a former Unified World Trios Champion (AEW World Trios andROH World Six-Man Tag Team Champion).
Prior to signing with AEW, White had a decorated career inNew Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) having joined the promotion in 2014 as aYoung Lion. In June 2016, White left for an overseas excursion, in which he worked for American promotionRing of Honor (ROH) and British promotionRevolution Pro Wrestling (RPW) through NJPW's international partnerships. White returned to NJPW in November 2017 and won theIWGP United States Heavyweight Championship the following January. In 2018, he betrayed his fellowChaos stablemates to join Bullet Club, and becoming the group's fourth leader. White is also a formerIWGP Heavyweight Champion,IWGP Intercontinental Champion, andNEVER Openweight Champion, making him the fifthNJPW Triple Crown Champion and the firstNJPW Grand Slam Champion. In 2022, White also captured theIWGP World Heavyweight Championship.
White initially trained underThe UK Kid at Varsity Pro Wrestling in early 2013, and made his professional debut on 19 February, working for VPW as well asAll Star Wrestling, among other promotions. In an interview on Chris Jericho's podcast, White acknowledged that he was able to train in the UK because he held a Dutch passport. Being a citizen of the Netherlands allowed him access to the UK, which was a part of the EU at the time. In early 2014, White metNew Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW)'sPrince 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.[6]
Shortly thereafter, White was contacted byBad Luck Fale, who said that Devitt had spoken to NJPW officials about White and that he could get him a place as ayoung lion in the dojo if he wanted it.[7]
Several months later, White met with Fale, Devitt, andShinsuke Nakamura in London, where White accepted their offer and began finalizing hisvisa to leave for theNJPW Dojo.[6]
White left for Japan on New Year's Eve 2015, began further training as a young lion upon his arrival, and made his debut for NJPW on 30 January 2015, losing toAlex Shelley.[8] White lost all but eight of his 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 ChampionKenny Omega in a non-title match.[9] White's final match in NJPW took place on 19 June 2016 atDominion 6.19 in Osaka-jo Hall, when he,David Finlay, andJuice Robinson were defeated bySatoshi Kojima,Hiroyoshi Tenzan, andManabu Nakanishi.[10] White left for his excursion to the United States the following week.
Upon moving to the United States, White was first based inNew Jersey, before moving toDetroit, where he lived withAlex Shelley.[11] White debuted inRing of Honor (ROH) at the 25 June TV tapings, defeatingKamaitachi.[12] He teamed withThe Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley andChris Sabin) to defeat Kamaitachi andThe Addiction (Christopher Daniels andFrankie Kazarian). White and The Motor City Machine Guns eventually formed a stable named "Search and Destroy" withJonathan Gresham andLio Rush.[13][14] On 8 July, White defeatedLio Rush.[15] At the next set of TV tapings, White defeated Will Ferrara and wrestledJay Briscoe to a time limit draw.[16]
White debuted for England'sRevolution Pro Wrestling on 12 August 2016, defeating Josh Bodom.[17] On 19 August, White competed in a fatal four-way match against Kamaitachi, Lio Rush, andDonovan Dijak, which was won by Dijak. The following day, White and Rush were defeated by TheBriscoe Brothers.[18] White returned to RPW on 26 August, defeatingMark Haskins.[19] On 30 September, White teamed withKushida andACH to defeat The Briscoes andToru Yano in a quarter final match in the ROH Trios Tag Team Championship Tournament.[20] White, ACH, and Kushida then defeated The Cabinet (Rhett Titus,Kenny King, andCaprice Coleman) in the semi-finals, but were defeated byThe Kingdom (Matt Taven,Vinny Marseglia, andT. K. O'Ryan) in the final atFinal Battle.[21]
White competed once again for RPW on 21 January 2017, defeatingMartin Stone. On 6 June, White received his biggest title opportunity in his career at the time when after winning a Battle Royal he unsuccessfully challengedChristopher Daniels for TheROH 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 5 November 2017, atPower Struggle, White returned to NJPW as the mysterious "Switchblade.” He had been teased for the past several months, challengingHiroshi Tanahashi to a match for theIWGP Intercontinental Championship atWrestle Kingdom 12 in Tokyo Dome, before attacking him.[22] The following day, NJPW officially announced the match between Tanahashi and White for Wrestle Kingdom 12.[23] On 4 January, White was defeated by Tanahashi in the title match.
On 5 January, Jay teased joiningBullet Club; however, White then betrayedKenny Omega by attacking him with a Blade Runner. A day later, he joined theChaos faction in order to face off against Bullet Club and Kenny Omega, claiming he needed backup in his fight against Bullet Club.[24] On 28 January atThe New Beginning in Sapporo, White defeated Omega to become the secondIWGP United States Heavyweight Champion in the title's history. On 25 March, he went on to defend the title for the first time againstHangman 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 beatingPunishment Martinez on night 2 of theROH/NJPW War of the Worlds Tour in May.[25]
AtDominion 6.9 in Osaka-jo Hall, White was pinned in a tag team match byJuice Robinson.[26] Because of this, White defended and lost the title to Juice at theG1 Special in San Francisco, ending his reign at 160 days and three successful title defenses.[27] White then competed in2018 G1 Climax, where he competed in the A Block, where he ended with 12 points (six wins and three losses).[28] In the tournament, he scored major wins over the leader of Chaos,Kazuchika Okada,[29] as well as eventual winnerHiroshi Tanahashi, notably being the only person to defeat Tanahashi in the tournament.[30]
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AtDestruction, White attacked Tanahashi after his defense of his G1 briefcase. He then attacked Okada, and Okada's former managerGedo ran out to apparently save Okada. However, heturned on him by hitting him with a chair, and aligning himself with White. On 8 October, atKing Of Pro Wrestling, White was defeated byHiroshi Tanahashi. After the match, he and Gedo attacked Tanahashi, only for Okada to stop it. They were soon joined byJado andBullet Club OG in what turned out to be a setup to attack Okada, with White,Gedo andJado all completing their defection from Chaos to join Bullet Club, becoming the new leader of the faction.[31] AtWrestle Kingdom 13 on 4 January 2019, White defeated Okada.[32]
AtNew Year Dash!!, White would defeat Tanahashi in a 6-Man Tag match and would challenge Tanahashi for his newly wonIWGP Heavyweight Championship atThe New Beginning in Osaka.[33] At the event, he defeated Tanahashi to win his firstworld title.[34] At the NJPW Anniversary Event in March, White defeatedNEVER Openweight ChampionWill Ospreay in a non-title champion vs. champion match.[35] At theG1 Supercard on 6 April, Okada defeated White for the IWGP Heavyweight Championship, ending his reign at 54 days and no successful title defenses.[36] White then entered the2019 G1 Climax, competing in the B Block. Despite losing his first three matches againstHirooki Goto,[37]Tomohiro Ishii[38] andToru Yano,[39] White would make a comeback and win his next five matches againstJeff Cobb,[40]Shingo Takagi,[41]Taichi,[42]Jon Moxley[43] (being the first person to beat Moxley by pinfall) andJuice Robinson.[44] He would then defeatTetsuya Naito to win the B Block and advance to the tournament finals.[45] However, he would be unsuccessful in winning the tournament after losing to A Block winnerKota Ibushi, finishing with an overall record of 12 points (six wins and three losses).[46][47] In the main event ofDestruction in Kobe on 22 September, White defeated Naito to win theIWGP Intercontinental Championship for the first time in his career in the main event.[48] AtPower Struggle on 3 November, White successfully defended the Intercontinental Championship against Hirooki Goto.[49] However, he lost the championship back to Naito atWrestle Kingdom 14 on 4 January 2020, ending his reign at 104 days.[50] He followed this with a victory over Kota Ibushi the next day he then defeatedSanada atThe New Beginning in Osaka on 9 February.[51]
After an absence due to theCOVID-19 pandemic, White returned on the 21 August episode ofStrong, teaming with Bullet Club partnerChase Owens in a loss toVillain Enterprises (Brody King andFlip Gordon).[52] He then participated in the2020 G1 Climax in the A Block, which he ended with 12 points (six wins and three losses).[53] AtPower Struggle, White defeated Kota Ibushi to become the first wrestler to win theTokyo Dome IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships challenge rights certificate from the G1 Climax winner.[54]
At Wrestle Kingdom 15, White lost to Ibushi, who had won the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships from previous champion Tetsuya Naito.[55] During a press conference with the company on 5 January, White expressed his desire to quit NJPW afterNew Year Dash!!, stating that he was "as close to death as he had ever been, and he would hopefully ever be."[56] At New Year's Dash the following day, White participated in a ten-tag team match with Bullet Club teammates Bad Luck Fale, Chase Owens,Evil, andYujiro Takahashi, against Chaos membersYoshi-Hashi, Tomohiro Ishii, Kazuchika Okada, Hirooki Goto and Toru Yano, which they lost after Ishii pinned White.[57] After a month long hiatus, White returned on February 1 on the Road to the New Beginning show, attacking Ishii and continuing their feud.[58] AtCastle Attack on 27 February, White defeated Ishii.[59] White went on to feud with Hiroshi Tanahashi, from whom he won the NEVER Openweight Championship atWrestling Dontaku 2021,[60] making White the fifth man to win the New Japan Triple Crown and the first New Japan Grand Slam champion. On November 13, 2021, atBattle in the Valley Jay White lost theNEVER Openweight Championship toTomohiro Ishii ending his reign at 195 days with 1 successful defense[61]
White returned to Japan on May 1, atWrestling Dontaku, attacking reigningIWGP World Heavyweight ChampionKazuchika Okada after his match againstTetsuya Naito, challenging Okada to a match.[62] AtDominion 6.12 in Osaka-jo Hall, White defeated Okada to win the World Championship for the first time.[63] After the match, White celebrated with the rest of Bullet Club and demanded respect for him being the "creator" ofAll Elite Wrestling, referring to him beating AEW Vice President Kenny Omega for the IWGP United States Heavyweight Championship at The New Beginning in Sapporo which was near the end of Omega's tenure with NJPW before joining AEW. He also insulted "Hangman" Adam Page, who had called out former champion Okada onDynamite earlier that week, teasing confrontation leading up toAEW×NJPW: Forbidden Door.[64] Also at the event, White was announced to be a part of theG1 Climax 32 tournament in July, where he would compete in the B Block.[65] Initially, White went undefeated for 5 straight matches, however a loss to former Bullet Club stablemateTama Tonga on the block finals day, caused White to be eliminated from the tournament, finishing with 10 points and failing to advance to the semi-finals.[66] This result led to Tonga receiving a shot at the IWGP World Heavyweight title on October 10 at Declaration of Power, though at the event White retained the championship.[67] AtWrestle Kingdom 17 on January 4, 2023, at theTokyo Dome, White lost the IWGP World Heavyweight Championship back to Okada, ending his reign at 206 days.[68]
In a post-match press conference, White accepted his loss, although he blamed it on former Bullet club stablemateHikuleo, who had attacked White and left the stable in September. This led to White challenging Hikuleo to a "Loser Leaves Japan Match", which took place on February 11, where Hikuleo defeated White, forcing White to leave Japan.[69] White was scheduled to compete againstEddie Kingston at theBattle in the Valley Event on February 18. White has claimed that if he won this match, Gedo will join him in the United States and that he will wrestle for New Japan in the United States going forward. This Match would later be changed to a Loser Leaves New Japan Match after a heated exchange between the White and Kingston on Wrestling Observer Live. At Battle In The Valley, White was defeated by Kingston thus forcing him to leave New Japan Pro Wrestling. After the match, White was attacked by David Finlay.[70][71]
Through NJPW's affiliation withImpact Wrestling, White made his unannounced debut forImpact at the end of theSlammiversary event on July 17, 2021, confronting former Bullet Club leader Kenny Omega,Don Callis and former Bullet Club membersThe Good Brothers (Doc Gallows andKarl Anderson). Callis, Gallows and Anderson attempted to 'too sweet' White but the group was attacked bySami Callihan,Juice Robinson and future NEVER Openweight Championship contenderDavid Finlay, after which White hit Finlay with a bladerunner.[72]
The following week, White confronted Gallows and Anderson, which ended in the two beating down White, untilChris Bey, who White attempted to recruit to Bullet Club following Slammiversary, made the save.[73] On the July 29 episode ofImpact, White and Bey lost to Gallows and Anderson.[74] On the next week's episode ofImpact, White accompanied Bey to his match against Juice Robinson, which Bey would win. After the match, White would hand Bey a Bullet Club shirt, officially welcoming Bey into the group.[75] On the August 12 episode ofImpact, Bullet Club (White and Bey) lost toFinJuice (David Finlay andJuice Robinson) by disqualification. on the February 3, 2022 episode ofImpact, Bullet Club (Chris Bey, Jay White,Tama Tonga andTanga Loa) defeatedAce Austin,Jake Something,Madman Fulton andMike Bailey. AtNo Surrender, White defeatedEric Young. Later that night, White attacked Tama Tonga with aBlade Runner duringGuerrillas of Destiny'sImpact World Tag Team Championship match with The Good Brothers, allowing Gallows and Anderson to retain the titles as well as take G.o.D's place in Bullet Club.
On the April 24, 2022 episode ofImpact, White returned to Impact and teamed with Chris Bey to defeat Rich Swann and Willie Mack. AtUnder Siege,Bullet Club (White, Chris Bey, Doc Gallows,El Phantasmo, and Karl Anderson) lost toHonor No More (Eddie Edwards,Kenny King,Matt Taven,Mike Bennett, andVincent) in a ten match tag team match. On the May 12 episode ofImpact, White and El Phantasmo lost toJosh Alexander andTomohiro Ishii. On the June 16 episode ofImpact, White and Chris Bey lost toThe Briscoes (Jay Briscoe andMark Briscoe).
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White appeared in AEW on the February 9, 2022, episode ofDynamite, aidingAdam Cole andThe Young Bucks in beating downRoppongi Vice (Trent Beretta andRocky Romero).[76] The following week onRampage, White defeated Baretta in his first AEW match.[77]
White appeared on AEW television in April and June,[78][79] leading to afour-way match for his IWGP World Heavyweight Championship atForbidden Door, which he won againstAdam Page, Cole and Okada.[80]
After leaving NJPW, White appeared on the April 5, 2023 episode ofDynamite, reuniting with former Bullet Club stablemateJuice Robinson as Bullet Club Gold[81] by aiding his attack onRicky Starks.[82] Shortly after, it was announced that White had officially been signed by AEW.[83]The Gunns (Austin andColten Gunn) began aligning with the Bullet Club Gold and soon joined the stable.[84] On the July 7 episode ofCollision, White and Robinson defeatedAEW World Tag Team ChampionsFTR,[85] leading to atwo out of three falls championship match the following week, which they lost.[86] AtAll in on August 27, White, Robinson andKonosuke Takeshita defeatedKenny Omega,Adam Page, andKota Ibushi.[87] A week later atAll Out, Bullet Club Gold defeated FTR and The Young Bucks in an eight-man tag match.[88] White unsuccessfully challengedMJF for theAEW World Championship atFull Gear on November 18.[89] He got eliminated from theContinental Classic tournament in a three-way semifinal match againstJon Moxley andSwerve Strickland.[90]
On January 17, 2024, White and The Gunns defeatedMogul Embassy (Brian Cage,Kaun andToa Liona) for theROH World Six-Man Tag Team Championship.[91] They retained the championship atSupercard of Honor on April 5 against Monstersauce (Lance Archer andAlex Zayne) andMinoru Suzuki.[92] Two weeks later at theDynasty pre-show, they defeatedThe Acclaimed to unify the ROH andAEW World Trios Championships.[93] White lost to Adam Page in the semi final of theOwen Hart Cup.[94] Bullet Club Gold, now referred to as the Bang Bang Gang, were stripped of the Unified Trios Championship due to White suffering a foot injury.[94]
On the October 2 episode ofDynamite, White returned from injury and came to the aid of Robinson during an attack by Page.[94] White faced Page atWrestleDream on October 12 and atFull Gear on November 23 and was victorious in both matches.[95][96] On December 28 atWorlds End, White failed to capture the AEW World Championship from Jon Moxley in a four-way match, also involving Page andOrange Cassidy.[97]
After Worlds End, White cemented his face turn by forming an alliance withCope,[98] teaming with him in a losing effort against Moxley and hisDeath Riders stablemateClaudio Castagnoli on February 15, 2025, atGrand Slam Australia inBrisbane Brawl.[99] On the March 26 episode ofDynamite, White announced his entry into the men's bracket of theOwen Hart Cup, a tournament where the winner will receive anAEW World Championship match atAll In.[100] However, on the April 2 episode ofDynamite, White was (kayfabe) injured in an off-screen attack by the Death Riders and was forced to pull out of the tournament and was subsequently replaced byKevin Knight.[101] This was done to write White off of television to allow him to heal from a hand injury that would require surgery.[102][103]
On 6 May 2022, White married longtime girlfriend Savanna Price.[104][105] He holds both New Zealand and Dutch citizenship, with his grandfather being born in the Netherlands. His training and temporary residence in the United Kingdom is attributed to his Dutch passport, which allowed him to travel in Europe extensively.[106] White's interest in wrestling was sparked in 2011 when, at the age of 19, he won a contest held by a New Zealand radio station for a trip toWrestleMania XXVII inAtlanta,Georgia.[107]
