Update On Chris Jericho’s Status Following WWE Royal Rumble – At the start of January, speculation was widespread that Chris Jericho was nearing a return to WWE after several years with AEW. The belief gained momentum when WWE official Adam Pearce appeared to tease Jericho ahead of the first RAW of the year, leading many fans to assume a comeback was imminent. Now well into February, Jericho has yet to appear on WWE programming, surprising much of the wrestling audience.
According to Fightful Select, however, WWE officials were not caught off guard by Jericho’s absence. The report states that despite the online speculation, Jericho was never factored into WWE’s internal plans for early 2026. This included both the January 5 episode of RAW and the Royal Rumble event. Sources within WWE reportedly confirmed that while there would be strong interest in Jericho if he became available, the company does not believe that has happened at this time.
One of the main points of uncertainty continues to be Jericho’s contractual status with AEW. Jericho is still listed on AEW’s official roster page, and it is believed that he remains under contract with the company. While many assumed the extension Jericho signed in late 2022 would expire in late 2025 or early 2026, Fightful noted that professional wrestling contracts do not require public disclosure of freezes or extensions. This leaves open the possibility that Jericho’s deal could have been extended or frozen without public knowledge.
Examining Jericho’s AEW activity since 2022 provides limited clarity. He remained consistently active on AEW programming until April 2025, when he stepped away for an extended period. That absence, which lasted roughly eight months, represents the only realistic window during which a contract freeze could have been applied. Beyond that, there have been no confirmed reports of extension negotiations between Jericho and AEW.
AEW President Tony Khan has continued to speak positively about Jericho in interviews and media appearances, further suggesting that the relationship remains intact. For now, while speculation persists, there is no indication that Jericho is WWE-bound in the immediate future, nor that WWE is planning around his availability.
Update On Chris Jericho’s Status Following WWE Royal Rumble
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