Jay White: My Earliest Memory Of Wrestling Was Rikishi Putting His Arse In Booker T’s Face

The “Switchblade” talks about a number of topics including his earliest memories of wrestling.

Former IWGP U.S. Heavyweight Champion and now-leader of Bullet Club “Switchblade” Jay White is fresh off a win at Wrestle Kingdom 13 where he pinned former IWGP Heavyweight Champion Kazuchika Okada in the middle of the ring. The day after Wrestle Kingdom at New Year’s Dash, Jay White put the current champion Hiroshi Tanahashi on notice and let “The Ace” know that he is coming for the title. 

At Wrestle Kingdom 12, Jay White faced Hiroshi Tanahashi for the IWGP Intercontinental Championship and the match was not as well received by those who viewed it compared to White’s match against Okada earlier this month. During an interview with ‘Digital Spy’, White said that his nerves were a lot lower than they were last year and discussed how he became more comfortable in New Japan as time went on.

“Nerves-wise it was a lot lower,” Jay said, comparing this year’s Wrestle Kingdom to last. “After the first one against Tanahashi I hadn’t wrestled in two-and-a-half months and I was coming off doing Ring Of Honor shows and stuff, so it was a different level doing that compared to New Japan.” White continued by talking about his progression, “I had a whole year in New Japan, did a whole G1 tour so I was a lot more comfortable. I feel like it showed and I managed to get the result in the ring.”

The interview then turned over to Jay White’s first recollection of professional wrestling and he linked back to an episode of SmackDown on which Rikishi gave a “stinkface” to WWE Hall Of Famer Booker T. White did tune into WWE’s product for a while but when he started to see matches outside of the sports-entertainment company featuring the likes of Chris Jericho and Eddie Guerrero, he realized there was more out there.

“The very first thing I ever remember seeing was Rikishi putting his arse in Booker T’s face on SmackDown and then Booker T going out and vomiting all over the announcers’ table,” he said. “I didn’t start watching it from there, but then when I actually got into it the first thing might have been The Undertaker and JBL feuding in 2004 and from there I kept watching it.” White explained. “I hadn’t really thought to watch too much of it and I didn’t really know too much about it [His exposure to New Japan Pro Wrestling]. It was very much a WWE focus. Once I met Prince Devitt it opened my eyes to it a lot more.”

To check out the full interview with the “Switchblade”, click here, and Jay White will have his opportunity to capture the IWGP Heavyweight Title when he faces Hiroshi Tanahashi for the belt at NJPW’s ‘New Beginning’ show on February 11th.