Jay White did not have the best night at Full Gear.
The Switchblade looked dominant in the build-up to the pay-per-view, where he would challenge World Champion MJF with the title on the line. White used the numbers to his advantage with back-up from Bullet Club Gold and stole MJF’s prized possession, The Triple B. However, the events that unfolded on the night told a different story.
MJF was in action on the zero-hour portion of the event, reluctantly teaming with Samoa Joe and successfully defending the ROH Tag Team Championships against The Gunns. Looking to make things even easier for White, Austin and Colten Gunn destroyed MJF’s left with a chair after the bell as Adam Cole looked on helplessly at ringside, forcing the Long Island native to be sent to the hospital. As the ambulance door closed, MJF pleaded with Cole to protect the championship.
Later on in the night White believed that he should be awarded the title via forfeit, but Cole protested. Still on crutches following the ankle surgery, Cole declared that he would fight in his best friend’s place. It was time for the main event and Cole limped his way to the ring. Just as it appeared that Cole was going to compete, an ambulance rolled up and MJF limped his way to ringside and the original match was set. Despite having one good knee, being struck with a title and interference from The Gunns, MJF overcame all the odds and defeated a fresh White.
Some fans criticised the nature of the title defence, feeling that White did not come off well by failing to defeat an injured wrestler who had also competed earlier in the night. According to a new report, the former IWGP Heavyweight Champion shared the same feeling.
As reported by PWTorch, The Switchblade was not happy with the events that took place at Full Gear and looks to prove the critics wrong:
White wasn’t thrilled, based on what I’ve been told, how things went with the build and the match against MJF, so he might be motivated to shine in this tournament. He’s still among the top choices for Tony Khan to build around as a top-top star in his company for years to come. A win here, with a series of standout matches, would elevate him in the AEW universe closer to how his New Japan fans viewed him.
Although the leg injury was part of the storyline, MJF did suffer a legitimate injury at AEW Full Gear.
Can Jay White Bounce Back?
Although the booking of White in AEW has been questionable so far, those who have followed him in New Japan know that he can put on matches of a much higher calibre. The Switchblade will be in action frequently for the rest of the year as he is one of the entrants in the Continental Classic tournament. It is believed that a strong showing in the round-robin tournament will elevate AEW fan’s opinions of White.