Update On AEW's Jay White, Following Wrestle Kingdom Appearance

Following his appearance at Wrestle Kingdom over the weekend to honor NJPW President Hiroshi Tanahashi following his retirement match, there's a new update on "Switchblade" Jay White. According to Fightful Select, despite his appearance the event, White is not yet set for a return to AEW programming.

According to the outlet, NJPW lifted their ban on White so he could appear at Wrestle Kingdom. White was banished from Japan at the hands of Hikuleo back in 2023, and from NJPW overall by Eddie Kingston later that year. His appearance led to speculation about his future after he was sidelined for much of 2025. The star suffered a hand injury last year, and while he was recovering, underwent much needed shoulder surgery, as well.

Fightful reported that AEW was quick to clarify following White's appearance to honor Tanahashi that he was not yet cleared for an in-ring return, and that isn't expected to happen "imminently." White has also not been factored in to any creative plans. He appeared amongst a host of NJPW-turned-AEW talent who came out following Tanahashi's loss to Kazuchika Okada, which also included Kenny Omega, Will Ospreay, Kota Ibushi, and Katsuyori Shibata.

White himself got fans hopes up back in October when he returned to social media following a seven month hiatus. The star returned to X (formerly Twitter) with a simple "Ready?" His last match in AEW was a win against Kevin Knight on the March 29 episode of "AEW Collision." Earlier that month, he defeated Max Caster on "AEW Dynamite." White wrestled only six matches in 2025 before being put on the shelf.