WWE and AEW’s Internal Mindset & Discussions on Chris Jericho Current Situation

Speculation surrounding Chris Jericho’s WWE return is all over the place. Now, we are getting a bit more clarification on the matter.

Sean Ross Sapp noted on Fightful Select that Jericho had once again become a major topic of discussion across the wrestling industry. However, those claims were not supported by his reporting.

It was noted that the outlet never reported that Chris Jericho was scheduled to appear on WWE Raw, nor did it report that he had left All Elite Wrestling. Despite widespread posts from engagement-driven accounts claiming Jericho’s AEW contract had “officially expired,” caution was certainly put forth so fans don’t jump to conclusions based on unverified information.

Chris Jericho re-signed with AEW following All Out 2022 and was announced at the time as being under contract through 2026. He stepped away from AEW television in the spring of 2025, and there has been no confirmation that his deal was extended, paused, or otherwise modified during that absence. At this time, it still appears that Chris Jericho is on AEW’s active roster.

It was reported that earlier this week, AEW personnel received internal memos noting that the contracts of Mercedes Martinez, Matt Taven, and Alex Abrahantes had expired. Those wrestlers were subsequently removed from the roster page. No similar memo was issued regarding Jericho, and his name remained active on AEW’s site.

Sources familiar with AEW reportedly indicated that the company still maintained a positive relationship with Jericho, while also acknowledging that some fans had grown fatigued with his on-screen presence. That feedback reportedly played a role in his removal from weekly television, rather than any confirmed contractual change.

On the WWE side, sources reportedly said that Chris Jericho had not been discussed creatively and was not included in plans for that night’s episode of WWE Raw that they had seen. While one source admitted that surprises can happen, Jericho had not been spotted at the venue as of showtime.

As it currently stands, neither AEW nor WWE sources had been told that Jericho had officially departed AEW or was preparing to return to WWE. There were reports that Jericho would be repackaged, and that could be interesting in 2026, but it’s anyone’s guess what will happen. At this time, it seems that there may be nothing to the story.

Jonathan Coachman really stoked the fires when he said that Chris Jericho would be returning to WWE. It was previously reported that Chris Jericho wasn’t expected in New York. That didn’t ease up on the speculation that he may show up during the January 5 RAW in Brooklyn, New York’s Barclays Center.

We will keep a close eye on WWE RAW this week. This will certainly be a big episode as the company kicks off a new year on Netflix.

What’s your take on Chris Jericho returning to WWE? Do you hope to see him make that comeback tonight? Let us know what you think in the comments section!