As of January 1, 2026, Chris Jericho is officially a free agent. The wrestler’s contract with All Elite Wrestling expired at midnight on December 31, allowing him to legally negotiate and sign with any promotion.
While no official announcement has been made regarding his future, the belief is that he’s likely returning to WWE.
Potential Return Timeline
With Jericho now a free agent, attention has turned to when a potential appearance might occur. This Monday’s episode of WWE Raw marks the one-year anniversary of the program’s move to Netflix. It remains unconfirmed if he will appear on the anniversary show or at a later date, such as the Royal Rumble later this month.
Comments Regarding TNA and AEW
Speculation regarding Jericho’s status increased following comments he made in November 2025 on his Talk Is Jericho podcast. While discussing TNA Wrestling’s Bound for Glory pay-per-view, Jericho complimented the company’s production values, stating the presentation made TNA appear to be the “second biggest company in the world.”
During the same segment, he compared TNA’s production to an episode of AEW Dynamite filmed at the 2300 Arena. Jericho stated that the AEW broadcast resembled a “Tony Condello taping,” a reference to independent shows he worked earlier in his career in Winnipeg. These comments were interpreted by various industry analysts as a critique of AEW’s presentation and a potential indication of his departure.
Relationship with WWE
Throughout his tenure with AEW, Jericho maintained a relationship with WWE. On June 27, 2022, while under contract with AEW, Jericho appeared on WWE Raw via a pre-recorded video message. The segment was a congratulatory message to John Cena on his 20th anniversary in professional wrestling.
Jericho has not confirmed his specific plans. During a live stream in late December, he responded to questions about a WWE return by stating, “You never know.” In a separate radio interview, he commented on his schedule for the upcoming year, saying, “I’m pretty sure you’ll see me in a wrestling ring in 2026.”
