Jay White: I’ll Show Up For NJPW New Year Dash, But After That, That’s It

Jay White says he’s done with NJPW after New Year Dash. 

White had the opportunity to capture both the IWGP Heavyweight and Intercontinental Championships at night two of Wrestle Kingdom 15, but ultimately came up short against Kota Ibushi. In the longest bout in Tokyo Dome history, White was defeated after being hit with the Kamigoye by Ibushi. 

In his backstage press conference following the loss, White said he is tired of sacrificing and getting nothing in return. Thus, he will show up for New Year Dash on January 6, but following the event, he is done with New Japan Pro-Wrestling. 

“I feel like I’m physically the closest to death as I’ve ever been and hopefully I ever will be. You just all saw what I put on the line. I put myself at risk, not for your entertainment or myself. A byproduct of me being in the ring is your entertainment. So, by proxy, I put myself through that for your entertainment. I can barely walk and you just stand and stare at me. You ever think to help somebody in need? Did you enjoy me trying to walk out there BY MYSELF! For what? I go through all of that and you don’t even have the tiniest bit of respect or the tiniest bit of empathy to where you would think to help somebody. If you can’t do something simple like that, I will never be appreciated like I should be. Everything I’ve done. Sacrifices. The years away. I haven’t seen my family or my parents for three and a half years because I dedicated myself to this. I put everything into this! I believe in myself like you wouldn’t believe. I know what I can do. At least I thought I knew. I believed that I was about to become God. I’ve been wrong. You like me saying that? I was wrong. It wasn’t my new era. Doesn’t that make you all happy?” he questioned.

White continued, “I am out here, in Japan, wasting my life away during a global pandemic, and for what? I could be at home. If I can’t get it done after all the time and sacrifice, why am I here? I’m not going to do this anymore. Not for any of you. If I can’t do this anymore, then I will not do it. It’s not worth me being here. Maybe my time would be spent better someplace else. I don’t want to do this anymore. I’m not going to do this anymore. Tomorrow, contractually, if they want me. If they want to make me wrestle again after what I’ve been through, and I don’t mean just tonight, I mean the last — in eight days, it’ll be eight years to the day that I first started training. I’m not going to do this anymore. If they want to make me show up tomorrow, fine. I’m sure they will because you love nothing more than to see me distressed. Fine. I’ll show up tomorrow, but after that, that’s it.”

It is unknown if White is working or will be leaving NJPW following New Year Dash. 

Fightful will have coverage of New Year Dash on January 6. The event begins at 4:30 a.m. ET. 

If you missed anything from night two of Wrestle Kingdom 15, check out Fightful’s full report on the show by clicking here. 

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