Tony Khan says Chris Jericho had a choice to make, and he’s happy he chose to stay with AEW.
Jericho had been absent from pro wrestling for nearly a year. He finally made his return to AEW on the April 1 episode of Dynamite, which took place in Winnipeg, Jericho’s hometown. Jericho was heavily rumored to be negotiating with WWE about a potential return. However, he ultimately chose to return to AEW, where he’s been since 2019.
During an interview with Jonathan Coachman and Vince Russo on the Coach & Bro show, Tony Khan was asked how close Jericho was to going to WWE. Khan said Jericho would be the best person to ask about that. However, he did confirm that Jericho at least had the option to do so because he was a free agent.
Tony Khan says Chris Jericho specifically asked to return to AEW in Winnipeg
“Well, I’ve always wanted Chris to be part of AEW from the very beginning. And I’m very glad Chris is a part of AEW going forward. He always will be. And I can’t say with any certainty—I do know Chris had a choice, and he wanted to be in AEW,” Khan explained. “He would be the best person to ask. But I know that I’ve been in communication with Chris. He definitely told me he wanted to be at AEW, and very specifically, he told me he wanted to be in Winnipeg on that date.
“We’ve had that circled for a long time going back to last year,” Khan added. “And it was a choice that Chris made, that he’d rather be in AEW than wrestling anywhere else. I think that’s awesome. I can’t say for sure, Coach, where his mind was and what he was thinking. But I know that he definitely always has been consistent that he loves AEW and that he wants to be here. I’m glad that he chose to be here in AEW. That’s a choice that he made, because he was a free agent.”
Khan’s comment about Jericho being a free agent seems to end speculation that AEW froze his previous contract due to inactivity in 2025.
During a recent edition of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer reported that Chris Jericho ultimately returned to AEW because WWE saw him as a potential candidate for a retirement run, which might not align with his long-term goals.
Chris Jericho is confirmed to appear on Wednesday’s episode of Dynamite, which takes place in Edmonton.
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