WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray has advocated for Chris Jericho’s return to the company with a singular purpose: a program against LA Knight. Speaking on a recent edition of Busted Open, Ray stated that a potential feud between the two stars would be reason enough to bring Jericho back into the WWE fold.
“I would bring Chris Jericho back to the WWE just to work with LA Knight,” Ray said. “If you told me that that was the only thing he was going to do for one year, that’s good enough a reason alone.”
Ray’s comments add a specific creative angle to the widespread speculation that Jericho is planning a WWE comeback. A consensus has reportedly formed within both WWE and AEW that Jericho will rejoin WWE once his current AEW contract expires at the end of 2025. Sources inside both promotions believe a return is inevitable, with a surprise appearance in the 2026 Men’s Royal Rumble match being the most frequently discussed scenario.
The rumors intensified following Jericho’s extended absence from AEW programming, which began after he was written off television in April 2025 at the conclusion of his “Learning Tree” faction storyline. While the hiatus initially aligned with a tour for his band, Fozzy, his failure to reappear on AEW television fueled speculation. Jericho also liked a social media post that discussed him returning to WWE, further stoking the rumors.
Internal perspectives on the potential move vary. Some WWE sources have indicated they “expect him” to return when contractually free, and active talent have expressed interest in working with him. However, other reports suggest the situation is “very premature,” noting that Jericho’s name has not been raised in creative meetings. On the AEW side, many reportedly believe Jericho will not be re-signing with the promotion. Neither Jericho nor AEW President Tony Khan has publicly commented on the situation.
Jericho was a cornerstone of WWE from 1999 to 2018, where he became a four-time world champion. In 2019, he became a foundational member of AEW, winning the inaugural AEW World Championship. His last match in WWE took place at the Greatest Royal Rumble in 2018.