Despite heavy speculation of a Chris Jericho appearance at ROH’s Death Before Dishonor tonight, fans were left disappointed. Sammy Guevara, who had teased Jericho’s return, instead brought out La Faccion Ingobernable’s RUSH as his surprise partner. The newly formed duo defeated The Outrunners to become the new ROH World Tag Team Champions, a victory that culminated in a definitive heel turn for Guevara.
The turn was solidified after the match when LFI member Dralistico joined the new champions in the ring to celebrate. They were soon confronted by Marshall and Ross Von Erich, Guevara’s partners from earlier in the evening. After feigning an attempt to mediate between the two sides, Guevara joined RUSH and Dralistico in a three-on-two assault on the Von Erichs, appearing to confirm himself as the newest member of La Faccion Ingobernable.
Guevara’s need for a mystery partner arose after his co-champion, Dustin Rhodes, was sidelined due to a recent double knee replacement surgery. The injury forced both the ROH World Tag Team and World Six-Man Tag Team Championships to be addressed tonight. Earlier in the show, Guevara filled in for Rhodes to team with the Von Erichs, where they lost the Six-Man titles to Shane Taylor and The Infantry.
The entire situation was amplified by a pre-show interview where Guevara directly referenced Jericho’s iconic WWE entrance music, telling Lexy Nair he knew she was trying to “break the walls down” regarding his partner’s identity. This comment was the latest event fueling widespread rumors about Jericho’s future, as his AEW contract is reportedly set to expire at the end of 2025.
Recent reports from the past 24 hours suggest that Jericho or his representatives have initiated contact with WWE to gauge interest in a potential return. There is said to be “significant interest” from within WWE, with many believing a deal is likely once he becomes a free agent. A surprise appearance at the 2026 Royal Rumble in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has been speculated as a possible return date.
The Jericho-to-WWE rumors have been intensified by several other occurrences:
- Jericho’s “Break the Walls Down” theme music was reportedly heard playing outside the LDLC Arena in Lyon, France, ahead of tonight’s episode of Friday Night SmackDown.
- The WWE Vault YouTube channel has recently increased its output of classic Chris Jericho matches and content.
- Jericho himself “liked” a social media post discussing the possibility of him returning to WWE.
According to wrestling journalist Dave Meltzer, a key factor in Jericho potentially considering a departure from AEW is the negative fan reception he experienced before his hiatus in April 2025. During his last appearances, the 54-year-old was met with “please retire” chants, which he cited as the reason for his break from television. When asked about Jericho’s status, AEW President Tony Khan praised him as a great ambassador and leader but did not confirm if he would be re-signing.