Chris Jericho’s Status for 2026 Royal Rumble Revealed

For days, WWE fans have been hyped about one potential Royal Rumble moment: Chris Jericho walking in at #30 and shocking the world with a WWE return. Betting odds from BetOnline.ag had Jericho as the overwhelming favorite to enter the 2026 Men’s Royal Rumble in the final spot at -500, giving him an implied 83% chance.

But a new backstage report may have just slammed the door on that dream. According to PWInsider Elite, there are currently no signs whatsoever that Jericho is in Saudi Arabia, where the 2026 Royal Rumble is taking place. No one has spotted him backstage, and more tellingly—no one has even heard his name being mentioned behind the scenes.

That’s a sharp contrast to the speculation sparked by betting markets earlier this week. Fans and oddsmakers alike were placing serious money on Jericho being the surprise final entrant, especially given that he hasn’t been seen in AEW since April 2025.

BetOnline.ag Odds for #30 Entrant (Men’s Royal Rumble 2026)

• Chris Jericho: -500
• Seth Rollins: +250
• Brock Lesnar: +300
• Cody Rhodes: +700
• Finn Balor, AJ Styles: +1200
• Royce Keyes (Will Hobbs): +1800
• Trick Williams, Chad Gable: +2000

For now, it appears that fans hoping for Jericho’s return may be left disappointed. Of course, WWE is always capable of pulling off a tightly guarded secret—but PWInsider’s track record suggests this isn’t the one.

With the Royal Rumble underway and Jericho nowhere to be found, the focus may now shift to who will take that last spot—and whether WWE still has a game-changing surprise up their sleeve.

What do you think—was the betting hype just smoke with no fire? Or could WWE still pull a fast one on everyone?