Jay White Needs To Become IWGP Heavyweight Champion in 2019

“Switchblade” Jay White emerged as one of New Japan Pro Wrestling’s breakout stars in 2018. Having proven his worth as a main eventer in waiting, 2019 is the year for the New Zealander to win the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.

Now that former IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kenny Omega is confirmed to be leaving New Japan soon, there’s a large void in the main event scene for gaijin competitors. Jay White’s success in the last year alone more than solidifies his case as the next man up.

Jay White returned from excursion in late 2017, challenging then-IWGP Intercontinental Champion Hiroshi Tanahashi to a match at Wrestle Kingdom 12. Despite getting high billing on the card, the match was seen as an underwhelming re-introduction for the “Switchblade”.

After teasing joining Bullet Club, Jay White attacked then-leader Kenny Omega’s invitation and went on to take his IWGP United States Championship. While Jay White’s five-month reign came to an end at the hands of Juice Robinson, his title loss was the starting point for a prosperous conclusion to 2018.

The former young lion became the breakout competitor of the 2018 G1 Climax, finishing third in Block A with twelve points.

Jay White had a significantly more acclaimed performance against Hiroshi Tanahashi in the G1, becoming the only person to defeat the eventual winner in the 2018 edition of the tournament. He also toppled then-fellow Chaos stablemate Kazuchika Okada who was fresh off of losing the IWGP Heavyweight Championship.

White failed to advance to the finals of the G1 but kept himself in the conversation of New Japan’s fastest rising stars by betraying Okada and stealing the services of the former champion’s manager, Gedo. He went on to become the largest beneficiary of the war between The Elite and Bullet Club, defecting to the latter and replacing Kenny Omega as the group’s leader.

With the stage set for a rematch with Kazuchika Okada at Wrestle Kingdom 13, it was thought to have been a safe prediction that the “Rainmaker” would re-emerge as the man that became the longest IWGP Heavyweight Champion in history and defeat Jay White.

However, it was the Bullet Club’s leader who secured a clean victory over Okada, providing one of the more shocking results to come out of the Tokyo Dome.

At the following day’s New Year’s Dash event, White declared his intent to face Tanahashi a fourth time with the IGWP Heavyweight Title on the line. With the match confirmed to take place at New Beginning in Osaka—a mere month after Tanahashi won the IGWP Title—it’s unlikely that Osaka will see the coronation of Jay White.

Nonetheless, New Beginning in Osaka should be a sign of things to come in 2019 for Jay White. In the last year alone, he has beaten the last three IWGP Heavyweight Champions and has taken charge of one of the hottest acts in professional wrestling today.

At only 26 years old, Jay White has a golden opportunity this year to become New Japan’s main gaijin attraction. Regardless of whether or not he emerges from Osaka as the new IGWP Heavyweight Champion, this year is the perfect time for New Japan to go all-in with the “Switchblade”.