Chris Jericho has directly addressed the ongoing speculation about a potential return to WWE. He confirmed he is “not opposed to it” but clarified that he is not planning to leave AEW in the immediate future.
Speaking about his future, Jericho explained his position on the wrestling landscape.
“The best thing that can happen in wrestling is AEW, and the fact that there’s two huge promotions that you can choose from just makes it better for the guys, it makes it better for the fans and everybody in between, so I’m not going anywhere for a while,” Jericho said. “I’m still with AEW for right now. Would I go back to WWE? I wouldn’t be opposed to it, we just have to see what happens, but the best thing that can happen is you have two great teams that you can play for, and that just makes everything bigger and more exciting.” h/t WrestleTalk.
Jericho’s comments come as his AEW contract reportedly expires at the end of 2025. This has led to reports of significant interest from within WWE to bring him back once he becomes a free agent.
The speculation has been building for months, especially during his absence from AEW television since April. The narrative around his future grew after some live crowds had turned on him with “please retire” chants in the past year. Jericho himself fueled the discussion in August by briefly ‘liking’ an Instagram post that highlighted his contract status and openness to a WWE run.
However, some WWE sources indicated in late August that it was “far too early to tell” if a deal would happen, noting that Jericho’s name had not come up in their creative discussions at that time.
Still, the possibility of a move remains a key topic. Some within AEW reportedly believe he will not re-sign, leading to a belief he could appear as a surprise entrant in the 2026 Royal Rumble.