Why Chris Jericho chose AEW for his return instead of WWE?
The April 1 episode of AEW Dynamite featured the return of Chris Jericho. The inaugural AEW World Champion interrupted Tony Schiavone’s introduction to appear in his hometown of Winnipeg, Canada.
Jericho kept his return promo brief, noting he was back “home,” effectively putting to rest speculation that he was WWE-bound. The former ROH World Champion’s look also drew praise from Jonathan Coachman.
During a recent edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer reported that Chris Jericho was viewed by WWE as a potential candidate for a retirement run, which may not have aligned with his long-term goals.
“I mean, from the WWE’s standpoint — and I don’t know what they told him, okay? I know what I was told. And I was told that as far as they wanted him for a retirement tour, okay? And maybe that’s not what he wanted — but I don’t know. I just know that they told me that they wanted him for a retirement tour, and that was it,” Meltzer said.
Chris Jericho’s decision came down to longevity and creative freedom
According to Meltzer, All Elite Wrestling likely offered Jericho greater longevity, along with potential financial incentives and increased creative freedom. He noted that while WWE may have provided a more stable audience environment, AEW allows for more creative input, which could be a key factor at this stage of Jericho’s career.
Meltzer added that Jericho, who is already financially secure, is likely prioritizing creative satisfaction and enjoyment. Despite WWE being viewed as the less risky option in terms of crowd reactions, Jericho ultimately chose AEW after weighing multiple factors, including money, creative control, and long-term plans.
“I think that for him, at this stage of his life, his financial situation is probably pretty great. He made a lot of money in AEW over the years. And at this point, especially at his age, he’s going to want to do what’s creatively fulfilling and fun.
“AEW’s a little bit of a risk — not creatively, because he’ll probably have more input into what he’s going to do in AEW than he would in WWE — but in terms of audience. I think he’d have a better audience in WWE, for sure.
“The better audience is certainly part of the deal. But money is part of the deal, creative freedom is part of the deal, and what each side’s plans are is part of the deal. There are a lot of factors involved. WWE is probably less risky in the sense that the crowd won’t be as difficult for him. But this is his decision. His decision was AEW, and I’m sure he considered all of these points and many other points.”
READ MORE: 5 Theories About Chris Jericho’s Next AEW Move After Return
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