Chris Jericho returns ‘home’ to AEW after year-long hiatus — what does it mean for WWE rumors?

Absent from in-ring action for almost a year, Chris Jericho recently surprised the world when he made his AEW return on the Apr. 1, 2026, episode of Wednesday Night Dynamite. Last seen losing to Bandido at AEW Dynasty last year, Jericho shortly after became heavily rumored to join WWE and retire there.

However, soon the scope and chances of Jericho's WWE return also started fading away. After he no-showed WWE RAW's Netflix anniversary and the 2026 Royal Rumble, questions began to rise about his AEW status.

Last week, Jericho filed a trademark for “The Cornerstone,” and then earlier on Wednesday Apr.1, both Dave Meltzer of WON and Fightful Select reported that Jericho was not expected back in WWE at all. Crushing the WWE return speculations, Jericho made his shocking comeback during the Apr. 1 episode of Dynamite in his hometown of Winnipeg, Canada.

Arriving on stage with his song “Judas” playing in the background, fans witnessed the veteran appear clad in a sparkling purple jacket and black denim. Jericho interrupted Tony Schiavone's MJF-Kenny Omega contract signing segment announcement and made his way to the ring. Soaking in the crowd reaction and taking a brief pause, Jericho finally broke his silence and claimed, “Winnipeg…I’m home.”

Jericho has been absent from the company since Apr. 2025, having left after a confrontation with Bryan Keith and Big Bill, which coincided with the dissolution of The Learning Tree faction.

What does Chris Jericho's AEW return mean for the WWE rumors?

As of now, there are no current updates known about Chris Jericho's AEW return or contract details. The 55-year-old has shown no interest in retiring and has always remained eager to advance his career.

With Tony Khan also interested in moving forward with Jericho, his new “Cornerstone” nickname could suggest a brand new creative direction for the veteran. With no confirmed contract status update, fans can also expect Jericho to switch to WWE if his contract expires shortly. Although these are just speculations.

His AEW contract was expected to expire in Dec. 2025; however, as per rumors, AEW froze Jericho's contract amid his absence, and it is now expected to run longer, thus complicating his potential WWE return.