Chris Jericho returned to AEW Dynamite on Wednesday night in his hometown of Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, marking his first appearance on the show in approximately one year.
Jericho did not cut a promo or address any of the speculation that has surrounded his status for the past several months. His only words were two: “I’m home.”
Jericho had not appeared on AEW television since the post-Dynasty episode of Dynamite in April 2025, when he told Big Bill and Bryan Keith he would be leaving until they made a change. He dropped the ROH World Championship to Bandido at Dynasty 2025 in what became his final match before the hiatus.
His absence sparked months of speculation about his future. Jericho’s AEW contract was originally set to expire at the end of 2025, but reports indicated the deal had been frozen due to missed time, keeping him contractually tied to AEW. Rumors of a WWE return persisted throughout the winter, with some expecting Jericho to appear at the Raw on Netflix anniversary, the Royal Rumble, or Elimination Chamber. None of those appearances materialized.
Fightful Select reported earlier Wednesday that there was a growing belief within AEW that Jericho would be returning to the company rather than going to WWE. Dave Meltzer reported that WWE sources told him not to expect Jericho in WWE “anytime soon, if ever.” Jericho had recently trademarked the phrase “The Cornerstone,” which was seen as a signal that a new character direction was coming.
Jericho was the inaugural AEW World Champion in 2019 and has been one of the promotion’s foundational performers since its launch. He is a nine-time world champion across WWE, WCW, and AEW. During his time away from AEW, Jericho toured with his band Fozzy and worked on a film project.
AEW Dynamite aired live from the Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg on Wednesday, April 1.
Welcome back, @IAmJericho!
Watch #AEWDynamite LIVE on TBS + HBO Max pic.twitter.com/gG9lFxZl81
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) April 2, 2026
"Winnipeg! I'm home" – @IAmJericho
Watch #AEWDynamite LIVE on TBS + HBO Max pic.twitter.com/jtznXvEbtL
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) April 2, 2026
