Living wrestling legend Chris Jericho could return to WWE from rival AEW sooner than expected.
For months, the wrestling world has been speculating about a possible comeback by living legend Chris Jericho to WWE—could it happen sooner than many think?
Several usually well-informed reporters are reporting that “Y2J” could be back at his old stomping ground very soon after six years with rival AEW—even before the Royal Rumble.
WWE: Chris Jericho back for the first RAW of 2026?
As reported by journalist Alex McCarthy of Wrestling Intel, Jericho’s AEW contract expires at midnight between New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day 2026. Accordingly, WWE is considering bringing Jericho back for the first episode of the TV show Monday Night RAW in the new year – that is, on the night of January 5 to 6. In line with this, Jon Alba of Sports Illustrated also reports that, according to his sources, Jericho is likely to “appear on WWE TV very soon.”
Jericho himself once again remained tight-lipped during a recent YouTube appearance – which he has to do in view of his ongoing AEW contract: “You never know, you never know,” he explained ambiguously in response to a viewer’s question.
Last hurrah at his old stomping ground?
Jericho was active with WWE for almost two decades between 1999 and 2017 before surprising the wrestling world in 2018 by letting his contract there expire, competing in several major matches with NJPW in Japan, and then joining the newly founded AEW promotion in early 2019.
“Y2J,” who turns 55 in November, played a key role at AEW and cemented his own legacy with his late reinvention. Known for his creative energy, Jericho was also heavily involved behind the scenes and was said to have a large power base.
In the recent past, Jericho’s star had faded somewhat: fans increasingly criticized his ring performances as he grew older, and rumors of alleged misconduct behind the scenes also weighed on his reputation – resulting in unusually negative reactions to him, even when he was still a fan favorite. Jericho, also known as the singer of the rock band Fozzy, was ironically one of those who had come into conflict with CM Punk, who has since returned to WWE.
At AEW, Jericho was most recently the leader of The Learning Tree group with Big Bill (formerly Big Cass at WWE) and Bryan Keith, but since April he had not been seen on TV following a staged feud with his two allies. In August, he began to fuel speculation about a move to WWE with subtle signals.
The most famous wrestling reporter, Dave Meltzer, recently reported in his Wrestling Observer about WWE’s plans to write a big retirement story for Jericho in the event of a comeback.
