Chris Jericho Sparks WWE Return Talk as Contract Nears Expiration in AEW

Chris Jericho made headlines this week after stating he’d “consider” a return to WWE—and now, there’s added context that explains why he might be entertaining the idea.

Following Jericho’s comments at the HRWF 2025 event, multiple readers reached out to Ringside News asking if a return to WWE could actually be on the table. That speculation isn’t coming out of nowhere. Back in 2024, Ibou of WrestlePurists reported that Jericho’s AEW contract is set to expire in 2025, which lines up perfectly with the timing of these new comments.

During the event, Jericho said, “I would have considered a return to WWE before things changed… Once again, there are two teams you can play on, which is amazing, and it’s one of the reasons why I wanted to take a chance and go to AEW in the first place—it was a real gamble.”

Now, with his AEW deal reportedly in its final year, fans alike are reading between the lines. Jericho also noted, “Of course I would consider going back there. I would also consider not going back there too. It just depends on what the situation is and what’s going on with me at the time.”

There’s also the possibility that Jericho is leveraging this moment—something that’s not uncommon in wrestling. It’s become standard practice for talents in AEW to float the idea of jumping ship to WWE in interviews or on social media to apply pressure during contract talks. That doesn’t mean Jericho’s comments are just a negotiation tactic, but the timing is certainly convenient.

Even if Jericho doesn’t jump ship, planting the seed of a WWE return could easily strengthen his hand if he’s aiming for a new AEW deal with better terms. But it’s also entirely possible that, after five years in AEW, he’s seriously open to one final run under the WWE banner.

Do you think Jericho’s WWE tease is a real possibility—or is he just playing the game ahead of his next contract? Sound off in the comments and let us know what you think.