Bully Ray Theorizes Why WWE May Not Want Chris Jericho To Return At Royal Rumble 2026

"WWE Raw" is kicking of 2026 in a big way, with its first anniversary on Netflix set to be a big show. Some fans also believe that possible free agent Chris Jericho is going to appear, after his contract with AEW reportedly expired. Another option for Jericho's possible return is the Royal Rumble, but that's not something WWE Hall of Famer Bully Ray believes is likely to happen, due to the fact the event is in Saudi Arabia, something he explained on "Busted Open Radio."

"On a positive, Jericho's countdown timer and all that, that is perfect for the Royal Rumble," he said. "Old school, OG, original Jericho countdown in the Rumble, whether that was first, middle, or last, it works. The place would go, we think it would go ballistic. [But] logistics, alright? Logistics. How do you get Chris Jericho into Saudi sight unseen and keep him a surprise?"

He explained he believes it would very difficult to get Jericho into Riyadh without anyone seeing him, and "Y2J" might need to be flown in early and live in his hotel room until the event. Bully Ray explained it's not like in the states where someone could be flown in somewhere, then driven to the actual location of an event. Either way, he's excited to see Jericho possibly back in the mix during WWE's most exciting time of the year.

"If they get Chris Jericho back into the fold during this time leading up to WrestleMania, that's a major, major WWE star coming back," Bully Ray said. "Somebody who fits right into whatever storyline you want to do... There's nothing that you can't do with a returning Chris Jericho."

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Busted Open Radio" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.