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Jay White
Background
Although officially becoming All Elite this past Dynamite on Wednesday, Jay White has traversed a long road to mainstream American wrestling. The Auckland, New Zealand born White is best known for his New Japan tenure where he became one of the company’s most decorated competitors. Ominously nicknamed “Switchblade,” White would capture the IWGP US, Intercontinental, Never Openweight, and Heavyweight titles in his near seven year stay. Trained as a young lion at the prestigious NJPW dojo, White has a swagger which demands attention and a ruthlessness that has led to critical acclaim as well as in-ring gold.
White is an alpha in presentation and is amongst venerable company in being one of the few leaders of the popular Bullet Club faction. He has also competed with and against a veritable who’s who of the modern day NJPW roster including battles with Kenny Omega, Hangman Adam Page, Kazuchika Okada and Hiroshi Tanahashi.
The Switchblade’s in ring style is vicious, but technically proficient. Much like his NJPW contemporaries, he is capable of exciting back and forth matches, but is perhaps just as notable for his combustible personality outside the ring. His persona brims with ego whilst his post-match promos reiterate his explosive attitude.
Journey
Jay White first debuted for AEW in February 2022 by linking up with NJPW alumni Adam Cole and The Young Bucks opposite the Best Friends stable. White debuted in a backstage segment to little fanfare given his elevated status on the NJPW roster. Indeed his appearance was further diluted by the same night debut of Keith Lee. Confusion abounded as Tony Khan had previously teased a huge debut. It was unclear whether this tease related to White or Lee and what White’s status would be going forward.
White would disappear after a win over Trent Beretta on a Rampage “Slam Dunk” special only to re-emerge in April to begin the hype of the joint AEW and NJPW Forbidden Door PPV in earnest. White would soon unseat Okada and become new IWGP Heavyweight champion, returning to Dynamite with his title in tow. He would the. become embroiled in a feud with Hangman Page, Cole, and finally nemesis Okada which resulted in White retaining his title in a four-way contest at the inaugural Forbidden Door show.
White has recently lost two back to back “Loser Leaves” matches in NJPW, first to Hikuleo to leave Japan and secondly to AEW’s Eddie Kingston to be ejected from the US arm of NJPW. White’s newly found free agency led to online rumors that his next destination would be to a post-WrestleMania WWE. To the surprise of many, White re-emerged in AEW by joining former Bullet Club stablemate Juice Robinson in attacking Ricky Starks.
Future
An initial feud with embattled babyface Ricky Starks seems like the right landing point for White on re-debut. He can establish his persona and move set to an unfamiliar casual audience away from the glare of a main-event program. If Khan has any preconceptions that White can be a main-event player in the long term a showpiece victory in this initial feud is a must.
A competitive win over Starks at the upcoming Double or Nothing PPV could launch White into the upper echelons of the AEW singles roster. Perhaps a feud with Adam Cole could follow. Familiar to each other from their previous AEW engagement, the feud could be seen as a de-facto number one contenders contest. The vicious White against the heroic Cole would make for compelling television and give Cole an impressive dragon to slay on his way to an eventual showdown with MJF.
There is also the possibility of another Forbidden Door PPV on the horizon. White has unfinished business with his former Bullet Club stablemates as well as history with Okada. A showpiece match opposite IWGP World Heavyweight champion Okada or new Bullet Club leader David Finlay would make storyline sense.
Verdict – AEW must be careful to avoid the compelling White becoming lost in the AEW roster shuffle. There are a multitude of feuds which await White, but AEW must highlight his dangerous and dynamic persona in order to separate him from the herd.
Julia Hart
Background
House of Blacks Julia Hart is a relative newcomer to the professional wrestling landscape. Beginning training in 2019, Hart would progress to the AEW kinked ‘Nightmare Factory’ under the tutelage of QT Marshall. An accomplished former cheerleader, Hart would transfer these traits to her on screen persona. Affiliated with rookie tag-team “The Varsity Blondes,” Hart would cheer the tandem on from ringside emanating positivity. A stark contrast to recent developments as Hart turned heel on her fellow blondes to align with the nefarious House of Black.
Harts in ring experience is still in its infancy though shows sign of potential. Clearly athletic from her prior cheerleading exploits, Hart has transitioned her move set along with her look in recent times. Her initial cheerleading phase meant handsprings to accompany the headlocks whilst her new phase is more strike based and vicious.
Journey
As noted, Hart entered AEW in early 2021 as valet for The Varsity Blondes. The tag team were mostly featured on YouTube shows Dark and Dark: Elevation but did visit broadcast television from time to time.
Individually Hart would debut on AEW Dark in a losing effort to Kris Statlander though would go onto share the ring with several high profile names including Britt Baker DMD, Penelope Ford, Hikaru Shida, and Thunder Rosa. Perhaps Hart’s most prominent singles moment came in defeat to TBS Champion Jade Cargill on a Rampage ‘Beach Break’ Special.
Meanwhile The Varsity Blondes would enter into a one sided rivalry with the villainous House of Black trio. After suffering a misting from Malakai Black, Hart would wear an eye patch and turn sullen in contrast to her usual peppy personality, becoming withdrawn from the Blondes. Harts transformation would become complete at Double or Nothing 2022 when she sprayed PAC with her own black mist and joined the House of Black stable.
Since her turn to the dark side, Hart has accompanied the ominous group in both vignettes and ringside bedecked in black dress and fedora.
Future
Harts metamorphosis from bright-eyed blond cheerleader to troubled goth may be a popular convention of modern fiction but has revitalized a character that was treading water in a fading babyface tag-team.
Her new heel character is a much more interesting watch who mirrors the mystery and otherworldliness of the House of Blacks leader. The heel stable are finally coming into their own after an inconsistent start and claiming the Trios titles has given the group more television focus. This can only mean more experience for the fledgling Hart.
Feuds opposite positive babyfaces such as Skye Blue and Willow Nightingale in the short-term could also draw a stark personality contrast but there is no reason why Hart couldn’t challenge a babyface TBS champion (if Cargill is ever dethroned) in the medium future.
Verdict – At almost 4 years in the industry and only 21 years old, Julia Hart has plenty of potential. A member of a four piece ensemble is the right place for the Minnesotan native for now and will only gain her valuable exposure on her way up the AEW ladder.
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