Chris Jericho has been away from the storylines for months, but right now he is one of the hottest topics of discussion among the world of pro wrestling. New details on Jericho’s situation involving WWE and AEW have emerged, and depending on which company you support, this will be a worthwhile happening with a big showdown set for the near future.
The Demo God has been on a planned hiatus since mid-April. Days after dropping the ROH World Championship to Bandido at AEW Dynasty, Jericho stormed out of Dynamite, telling Big Bill and Bryan Keith that it would be best if he left for a while. In actuality, Jericho had planned to take off for Fozzy’s 25th anniversary tour, and there was a Dynamite storyline in the works for Wednesdays, which were off-nights for the band. Amid months of legitimate fan heat and “please retire!” chants, Jericho nixed the Dynamite program as he felt like a break really was needed.
Chris Jericho lit the rumor mill up this summer by “liking” a social media post that claimed his AEW deal expired in December, potentially paving the way for a WWE comeback. This came right as people in the Stamford-based promotion reported on internal interest, and a potential Royal Rumble return for the 26-time WWE champion. Jericho knew what he was doing earlier this week by posting a WWE tour photo he’d never seen, with a nod to The Rock, at a time when the wrestling world was speculating on his future.
AEW sources provided updates on Chris Jericho’s contract and creative situations mid-week, right when it was revealed that Le Champion’s faction, The Learning Tree, has been done away with. WWE sources checked in that same day, describing Jericho’s current relationship with the company, while also dismissing some optimism.
Chris Jericho Expected To Return To WWE; Could Be Done With AEW TV
Chris Jericho has been a trending topic among fans and analysts as of late, but his status and future are also being debated within AEW and WWE. The Wrestling Observer adds that neither Jericho or Tony Khan have said anything about the matter when asked, but they also are not denying anything.
People in AEW are under the impression that the inaugural World Champion is not coming back. According to the latest report from backstage, some of Jericho’s current co-workers believe his WWE return will begin at the 2026 Royal Rumble as his All Elite contract is set to expire at the end of this year.
Regarding behind-the-scenes chatter in WWE, word now is that many people do expect Jericho to be back soon. However, The Observer pointed to how it’s still early, and if Jericho is looking to return or at least negotiate with WWE, then obviously he will give that impression. The Observer’s Dave Meltzer feels like WWE is the place for Jericho to be as he will be 55-years-old at that point, and could work a schedule similar to CM Punk.
WWE sources are also under the impression that if they want Chris Jericho, they can probably have him signed in January. However, the big question involves Tony Khan and what he will do when it comes to Jericho’s contract. There are many other factors at play, and The Observer noted that related decisions by a number of people will steer the situation, and impact the culmination of this story to wrap 2025.
The Painmaker may be the highest-paid wrestler in AEW, and if not, he certainly is near the top of the list. With that said, The Observer noted a situation where Chris Jericho is not going to be a regular main eventer, likely won’t return to the World Championship chase, and may never recover from the fan-forced heel turn from a few year back. However, a move back to WWE could be a very positive change for Jericho’s career, which we saw in similar situations with CM Punk and Cody Rhodes going from AEW back to the competition.
Chris Jericho’s WWE comeback will likely be nothing but a plus for the company, but The Observer acknowledges how the same might not go for AEW as there will surely be an optics issue. The report mentioned how AEW was hurt by the WWE return of Rhodes, and even more by Punk, so much that Khan’s company is just working its way out of that issue this year. Jericho, who has lost weight while away, was once touted as AEW’s biggest signing.