Tony Khan On Chris Jericho's Return: 'Chris Had A Choice And He Wanted To Be In AEW'

Despite months of rumors that he would be heading to WWE, Chris Jericho returned to "AEW Dynamite" in his hometown of Winnipeg, Canada last week after being absent from the show for a full year. At first it seemed like the Royal Rumble or WrestleMania 42 was going to be one of the destinations for Jericho's return to WWE, but according to AEW President Tony Khan on "Behind The Turnbuckle Studios" with Jonathan Coachman and Vince Russo, the "Lionheart" ultimately made the Jacksonville-based promotion a priority when deciding his future.

"I do know Chris had a choice and he wanted to be in AEW ... he definitely told me he wanted to be at AEW, and very specifically in Winnipeg on that date. We've had that circled for a long time going back to last year. And it was a choice that Chris made that he'd rather be in AEW than wrestling anywhere else."

Khan continued by highlighting Jericho's importance to AEW, stating that the company would've never reached the success it has today without his involvement and believes his return will only add to the recent increase in viewership for the promotion.

"Chris Jericho is always a part of AEW. We would not have gotten into this position without him. He's instrumental in the launch of AEW. So, I was really excited for Chris to be able to return to AEW in his hometown Winnipeg and get a great reaction and help us get I think some good buzz for what has been really strong viewership for us. Our biggest viewership in a couple years."

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "Behind The Turnbuckle Studios" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.