Following Jay White’s surprise appearance at the NJPW Wrestle Kingdom to honor Hiroshi Tanahashi who wrestled his final match, fans immediately speculated White would be back in the ring soon.
However, According to Fightful Select, those close to White note he is still sidelined with a hand injury he sustained in April 2025, followed by shoulder surgery, which took him out of action for the rest of the year. It was also noted White is still not medically cleared by AEW doctors to return.
Fightful Select further added that White is also not factored into AEW’s creative plans, as there is no expectation of him coming back anytime soon.