Chris Jericho Possibly Heading To WWE As AEW Contract Nears Expiration

Speculation on Chris Jericho's next moves have been running rampant since the summer, when Jericho himself "liked" an Instagram post about the potential for him to rejoin WWE upon the expiration of his AEW deal. Following that, reports indicated many figures within AEW actually expected Jericho to return to WWE in order to put a bow on his in-ring career. With Jericho's AEW contract end now just days away, that possibility seems poised to become a reality.

According to Alex McCarthy of Wrestling Intel, Jericho's existing contract with All Elite Wrestling is set to expire at midnight on December 31, with the 55-year-old expected to ink a fresh deal with WWE shortly after. Barring any unforeseen problems with this new contract, WWE is reportedly considering the possibility of kicking it off with Jericho's appearance on the January 5 edition of "WWE Raw," which marks the one-year anniversary of the red brand's Netflix debut. The show itself will emanate from Brooklyn, New York.

The Takedown on SI has since corroborated part of Wrestling Intel's report, specifically noting that multiple executives in AEW believe that Jericho will imminently leave the company and return to WWE, where he initially debuted in 1999. On a December 27 YouTube live stream, Jericho addressed one fan's remark about their hopes for him to go back to WWE by stating "You never know. You never know."

Should Jericho indeed sign with WWE come 2026, WWE officials reportedly have plans for him to participate in a retirement storyline. The specifics of that potential run, including its length, have yet to emerge.