Chris Jericho is currently on his longest absence from AEW television, and a new photo showing his shredded physical transformation has only fueled speculation about his future.
A recent report from Fightful Select notes that as of now, Chris Jericho’s contract with AEW is scheduled to conclude at the end of 2025, unless an extension is signed or the deal is frozen. Jericho has been off AEW television since April 2025.
The report notes that Jericho has not been brought up creatively within AEW, but his creative is typically discussed directly with AEW President Tony Khan. It was claimed within AEW that the relationship between the two sides remains “still strong,” though Fightful had not heard from anyone close to Jericho regarding his view.
Even though Jericho’s contract is not up, Fightful Select’s Sean Ross Sapp confirmed that multiple companies on a national and global level are interested in using him, including WWE. The report adds that he has been “brought up among higher-ups in WWE,” though there has been no word of direct conversations or creative ideas being discussed. It was clarified to Fightful that a couple of months ago, Jericho was not discussed from a creative perspective within WWE. However, a staff member did say that they felt his mentions on WWE programming and the positive reaction he received from audiences were a “good sign for his interest.”
One WWE source indicated to Fightful that Jericho would “almost certainly get offered ‘several million dollars’ annually” for a return. That same source noted their belief that AEW could match that offer and said they were not sure what Jericho’s motivations were at this stage. This week, AEW President Tony Khan addressed Jericho’s status on Busted Open Radio, stating, “I love Chris Jericho. He’s a huge part of AEW,” and, “Chris is always a welcome, big part of AEW we’d always want to have here.”
Speculation about his future has increased significantly with the announcement of his 2026 “Rock ‘n’ Wrestling Rager at Sea” cruise. The event, scheduled for November 2026, was announced with a lineup that, for the first time, features no contracted AEW talent. Instead, the cruise is advertising names like Jeff Hardy, Saraya, The Great Muta, Nic Nemeth, Bully Ray, and several stars with WWE ties, including Carlito, Shotzi Blackheart, and Indi Hartwell. This omission has fueled rumors that Jericho will be a free agent by the time the cruise sails.
Chris Jericho looks like he’s getting ready to return to the ring. pic.twitter.com/P39LSKouK6
— Wrestling News (@WrestlingNewsCo) November 10, 2025
