Why Chris Jericho Didn’t Return at WWE Royal Rumble 2026

Chris Jericho didn’t return at Royal Rumble 2026, despite weeks of hype and betting odds placing him as a favorite. It turns out he’s still under contract with AEW, and never actually became a free agent.

This was revealed during Fightful’s February 1 post-Royal Rumble show, where Sean Ross Sapp confirmed that Jericho remains officially listed on AEW’s roster—a detail that all but shuts down any WWE comeback rumors.

“As of today, Chris Jericho is still listed on AEW’s roster page, which is a great indication of whether somebody is still with the company. And Chris Jericho has not left the company as of yet.”

The confusion began when reports suggested Jericho’s contract expired at the end of 2025, leading to speculation that he was WWE-bound for a shock return in Riyadh. But that assumption was quickly walked back.

“Whether it’s because his deal got frozen or they extended it, that I don’t know. But when I saw people outright saying, ‘Oh, his deal is officially up’—no. It was not officially up. It was presumably up, and that was incorrect.”

Interestingly, the backstage chatter about Jericho inside AEW has been practically nonexistent in recent months.

“He hasn’t been discussed a lot backstage in AEW. So it’s pretty interesting. His deal isn’t up. Jericho is still under contract to AEW at this stage.”

Meanwhile, Jericho has kept busy outside the ring. He’s set to appear in Apple TV’s upcoming series Margo’s Got Money Troubles, which drops April 15, and his band Fozzy kicks off its “Eyes On You” tour in February. Those commitments alone make a surprise WWE return unlikely—at least for now.

So while fans were dreaming of a #30 shocker at the Rumble, the reality is far less dramatic. Jericho never left AEW, and unless something changes, that’s exactly where he’s staying.

Were you expecting Chris Jericho to show up in WWE? Or is his future better off in AEW and beyond the ring? Drop your thoughts in the comments—we want to hear what you think.