Chris Jericho’s AEW return in Winnipeg looked like a surprise on TV, and now we know why. He went full secret-mission mode to make sure nobody saw it coming.
While speaking to Renee Paquette, Jericho revealed that his comeback had been planned for months. He said AEW had the whole thing mapped out, but keeping it quiet meant taking some extra steps before he ever walked through the curtain.
“I mean it obviously we planned it for a while so it was kind of months in the making. And I actually flew in on a private jet the night before cuz I didn’t want anybody to see me.”
Jericho did not just fly in quietly and hang around backstage either. He said he basically locked himself away in his hotel room for almost an entire day, avoiding even close friends who were in town for the show.
“I basically sat in the room for almost 24 hours. I didn’t see any of my friends. I didn’t even tell any of my friends that I was there. One of my best friends was there, he flew in from Las Vegas for the show. He didn’t even know I was going to be there.”
Then came the part where Jericho really refused to risk anything. He said he would not even take the hotel elevator shortly before showtime because he was worried one random delay could ruin the entire return.
“I didn’t even take the elevator down to the lobby because it was literally 15 minutes before. I was like, ‘If this elevator gets stuck, I’m going to miss it.’ So I ran down the stairs. Everything, I was not going to let anything to chance.”
Jericho kept the hiding act going until the last possible second. He waited in a car outside the building and only stepped out right before it was time to hit the entrance area.
“I waited in the car till 30 seconds before. I got out of the car and walked right into the room.”
The return came shortly after Tony Khan confirmed that Jericho had signed a new multi-year deal with AEW. Khan did not reveal the exact length or money involved, but he made it clear Jericho had options and still chose to stay with the company.
Chris Jericho also explained why he kept his return promo short. Instead of dumping everything on the crowd right away, he wanted the comeback itself to breathe.
“It was something that I had learned in WWE where sometimes you don’t have to say a lot. That’s why my promo was like two words. Why throw everything out at once? You got the initial pop of being back on the show. Let’s leave it and then explain more the following week.”
So there it is. Chris Jericho did not just randomly show up in Winnipeg. He flew private, hid from friends, avoided the elevator, waited in a car, and walked in seconds before his music hit. That is a lot of work for one surprise, but clearly, Jericho wanted the return to land exactly right.
What do you think about Chris Jericho going that far to hide his AEW return? Please share your thoughts and leave your feedback in the comments below.
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