With Chris Jericho’s AEW contract reportedly set to expire at the end of 2025, the wrestling world has been buzzing with talk of a potential return to WWE. Reports from August indicated that there is “substantial interest” from WWE in bringing the former champion back. It’s also been suggested that Jericho, or his representatives, have made “overtures” to gauge the company’s interest once he becomes a free agent.
The conversations have apparently been happening both in the WWE locker room and among management. According to an August 21 report from WrestleVotes, multiple active wrestlers are eager to see Jericho return, and a deal is anticipated once he’s legally clear to negotiate. Jericho has been off AEW television since April of this year, leading many to believe his run with the promotion may already be over.
As speculation continues to build, WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair has weighed in on the possibility. Speaking to Escapist Magazine, Flair gave his honest take on whether Jericho deserves one more run in WWE and how likely he thinks it is.
“Well, of course I do because Chris has meant a lot to the business,” Flair said. “But I don’t think he’ll get it. I’m sure he’ll go to the Hall of Fame. I mean, he’s been a Hall of Fame athlete, human being wrestler, everything. But I would doubt very seriously if he’d get the kind of deal that John Cena got. I could be wrong. I would enjoy it. But John had a level of popularity very similar to the Rock’s. He was huge. Everyone loved him. It might be a bit of a stretch to see him back in there, but you never know.”
Jericho’s potential decision is influenced by multiple factors. According to Dave Meltzer, a period of negative reactions from some AEW fans could be playing a role. Jericho himself noted his break from television in April was to get away from that reception. On the other side of the coin, AEW’s Jim Ross stated on September 1 that Jericho’s departure would be a “loss for AEW,” citing his creative input and name recognition.
Should a return happen, some within WWE are reportedly thinking it could be saved for a major moment. There has been talk of Jericho being a surprise entrant in the men’s Royal Rumble match in January 2026 to maximize the impact.