The internal belief within All Elite Wrestling is that Chris Jericho will not be returning to the company, according to a report from Fightful Select. The report notes that since Jericho’s creative direction is handled directly by Tony Khan, most people within the promotion are not privy to his official status.
On the WWE side, a source indicated that Jericho’s name has not been brought up in creative meetings. There is also uncertainty within WWE as to whether his AEW contract is currently paused or remains active.
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This development follows a series of reports from the last 48 hours suggesting significant interest from WWE in bringing Jericho back when his AEW contract expires at the end of 2025. Reports from WrestleVotes on August 20 and 21 stated that individuals in WWE, including members of the active roster, are keen to see him return, with one source expressing confidence that a deal would be completed in 2026.
Adding to the earlier speculation, the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported on August 21 that some within AEW believed Jericho’s return to WWE was “inevitable.” One potential scenario reportedly discussed within WWE for his return was a surprise appearance in the Royal Rumble match in January 2026.
It was also noted by Dave Meltzer that the widespread discussion could be a negotiating tactic from Jericho’s side to leverage a better contract from either WWE or AEW.
The recent wave of speculation began after Jericho “liked” an Instagram post discussing a potential WWE comeback. This social media activity was amplified by his continued absence from AEW programming since April 2025, when he was written off television following a storyline with his “Learning Tree” faction.
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