Jay White’s Multi Year AEW Deal Was Done Before WrestleMania, WWE Had Creative Plans Ready For Former NJPW Star

It appears not only is Jay White locked into an AEW contract for some time, but WWE had creative plans ready for the former IWGP Heavyweight Champion.

White made his return to AEW on Wednesday’s Dynamite, attacking Ricky Starks alongside Bullet Club stable mate Juice Robinson. They would lay out Starks, not sticking around to explain themselves. Shortly after, Tony Khan would announced that “Switchblade” was All Elite.

Fightful Select have now reported new details on Jay White’s signing with All Elite Wrestling, noting that his contract is a multi year deal, while WWE also had creative plans ready for White should he have signed with the promotion.

White signed with All Elite Wrestling on what Fightful Select has confirmed is a multi-year contract. Fightful was able to learn that the deal was in place ahead of WWE WrestleMania 39, and WWE sources were aware that he would not be coming in by then. White’s impending free agency first hit our radar around Wrestle Kingdom, when we learned WWE had interest in White. In the following weeks, WWE were even confident they’d land White. Along the way we’re told that Triple H and William Regal both showed interest. However, WWE higher ups said that the company “failed to communicate properly along the process,” before noting that AEW landing him over WWE was could have been product of Vince McMahon’s returns and the lack of main roster hires since then. There were communications between Jay White and both WWE and AEW. There were even tentative creative plans made for Jay White in WWE. While higher ups knew time was ticking on getting a deal done, there were some in the company as of last week that were hoping WWE still landed him, which didn’t happen.

Fightful Select

It is interesting to note that Vince McMahon’s mere presence is enough to turn away top talent from signing with WWE now that he is back in power. We will have to wait and see what comes of White in AEW, but if Dynamite is any indication, AEW plans to treat him as a very big deal.

Follow Corey at @CoreyBrennanBS on Twitter

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