Steve Carrier on January 4, 2026
The internet didn’t imagine it — WWE meant to stir the pot with that Chris Jericho reference. And now we know exactly why.
During a promo hyping the January 5, 2026 edition of Monday Night RAW — the show’s one-year anniversary streaming on Netflix — General Manager Adam Pearce slipped in a line that longtime fans instantly connected to Jericho’s WWE legacy.
“There are also three massive championship matches on the card. Who will break down the walls and walk out with gold?”
The phrase “break down the walls” is iconic to Jericho’s WWE entrance theme — and now Dave Meltzer confirms that Pearce said it on purpose. In the Wrestling Observer Daily Update, Meltzer explained WWE’s motive:
“They are definitely pushing for a big walk-up because Adam Pearce talked about breaking down the walls, on purpose, which fuels the idea Chris Jericho is returning.”
The strategy is clear: create buzz, spike ticket sales, and stir speculation around Jericho’s rumored WWE return — even if it doesn’t happen that night. Meltzer added, “We don’t have it confirmed but many believe that is the case, if not tomorrow, by the end of the month.”
The January 5 RAW isn’t short on star power. CM Punk will defend the World Title against Bron Breakker, Becky Lynch takes on Maxxine Dupri for the Intercontinental Championship, and the Kabuki Warriors face Iyo Sky and Rhea Ripley for the tag belts. Themed around Stranger Things, WWE is going all-out — and now they’re dangling Jericho as the possible cherry on top.
Jericho hasn’t appeared in AEW since April 2025, when he walked out on Big Bill and Bryan Keith. On December 31, his AEW contract expired. The same night AEW ran its Worlds End pay-per-view, Jericho was livestreaming on YouTube instead — making it clear where his head was at.
On a Christmas livestream with The Winnipeggers, fans asked him about a WWE return. Jericho didn’t confirm or deny it, simply smirking and saying, “You never know. You never know.” And now, with WWE openly teasing his legacy and looking to pop last-minute ticket sales, the motivation behind Pearce’s promo is anything but subtle.
Do you think WWE is playing fans just to sell tickets — or is Jericho about to break down the walls one more time? Sound off in the comments below.
2 months ago
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