Chris Jericho clarifies the rumors about his WWE return during his time off from AEW.
Chris Jericho took a lengthy hiatus from AEW television from April 2026 until he returned nearly a year later on the April 1, 2026, episode of Dynamite. During his time away, there was speculation about his potential return to WWE, and various reports also addressed the possibility.
However, after Chris Jericho returned to AEW, Dave Meltzer noted on Wrestling Observer Radio that WWE considered bringing him back for a retirement run, which may not have aligned with his long-term goals. He also noted that AEW likely offered Jericho longevity, financial incentives, and increased creative freedom to retain him.
Chris Jericho explains his AEW contract situation and why time away from television fueled WWE return speculation
Now, Chris Jericho has clarified why he chose to stay with AEW instead of returning to WWE. Speaking to Beef Vegan, Jericho admitted that he weighed all his options. However, what led him to stay with Tony Khan’s company is his deep sense of pride in having helped build it from the ground up.
“I mean, you weigh all your options, but I have skin in the game with AEW. Helped create AEW, and I was never gone. I just was off TV for a while while we figured out some stuff, but basically just ended one contract and went straight to the other one,” Chris Jericho said.
“I like Tony Khan as a boss. Like AEW as a company. I like the growth that we’ve done, and I helped start the company. I mentioned skin in the game. WWE existed before I was there, and it’ll exist after I was there, and of course AEW will exist after I was there too. But it didn’t exist before I was there, so it was more exciting to be with the company that I helped create,” Jericho concluded.
Read More: John Laurinaitis Wrestling Convention Appearance Draws Heavy Criticism
If you use this transcription, please credit the source, H/T WrestleZone, and link to this page.
