Short of a major swerve by AEW, Chris Jericho has likely signed a WWE contract at some point in the past few days. He was written off AEW television in April, and quickly made headlines for liking a social media post speculating about what a possible WWE return could look like.
Despite having been dismissive of the idea of a WWE return since 2019, he seems to have had a change of heart in 2025. Jericho has remained fiercely loyal to AEW and Tony Khan over the years (which isn't hugely surprising when he's widely believed to be among the highest-paid stars in the company), but fell out of favour with fans during the last year or so of his run.
Whether the dissatisfaction AEW devotees expressed with Jericho seemingly prioritising himself over the younger talent he shared the ring with extended to Khan isn't clear. Either way, all signs point to Le Champion wanting to end his career in a WWE ring.
Multiple sources have reported that WWE is planning a retirement tour for Jericho, followed by an inevitable WWE Hall of Fame induction. The fact is, AEW isn't as hot as it was when Y2J shocked the world by signing with the company in 2019, and the multiple-time WWE Champion returning to a promotion that's drawing far more interest makes sense.
Now, former WWE commentator Jonathan Coachman has shared what he's heard about Jericho's WWE future. "Jericho will NOT be at Raw on Monday," he said of the upcoming show that marks RAW's first anniversary on Netflix. "He is scheduled to make his return at the Rumble with a whole new look [and] character."
"He will be a special attraction similar to how they use Roman and Brock, only he will be more visible in an on-air role due to his ability to cut promos and sway the audience," Coachman added. "My sources have told me that Jericho looks to be in the best shape he has been in years. He does have a Fozzy stint already booked between the rumble and chamber, but is scheduled to be a big part of the Chamber plans."
For anyone expecting Jericho to return to WWE and play his greatest hits—the return of "The List," for example—it sounds like they'll be disappointed. The notion of "a whole new look [and] character" for the iconic professional wrestler is intriguing, as is the way WWE intends to use him as an attraction.
How long he'll compete for before retiring isn't clear, but based on a recent photo of Jericho looking ripped, the former AEW Champion no doubt still has plenty of gas left in the tank.
As always, stay tuned for updates as we have them.