Chris Jericho permanece con All Elite Wrestling tras la extensión de su contrato, a pesar de rumores de un regreso a WWE. La extensión se debe al tiempo libre que Jericho tomó en 2025, durante el cual estuvo ausente de la programación de AEW. Fuentes internas de la lucha libre confirman que se trata de una práctica estándar en la industria.
Chris Jericho, el primer Campeón Mundial de AEW, no ha aparecido en televisión de AEW desde abril de 2025, tras el episodio post-Dynasty de Dynamite. Durante su ausencia, Jericho se ha centrado en otras actividades, incluidas actuaciones con su banda Fozzy. Los rumores persistieron a lo largo de principios de 2026 sobre un posible regreso a WWE, con especulaciones que lo vinculaban a eventos como el aniversario de un año de Raw en Netflix, el Royal Rumble de finales de enero o la revelación de una «caja misteriosa» que en cambio presentó el debut de Danhausen. Jericho's original contract was believed to expire at the end of 2025, fueling predictions of a WWE comeback as early as the year's start. However, reports indicate the deal has been extended. On Fightful Select's SRS Q&A, Sean Ross Sapp explained that wrestlers' contracts vary, and Jericho's extension accounts for his 2025 time off. Dave Meltzer, on Wrestling Observer Radio, elaborated on the mechanism: AEW can freeze a contract during a performer's absence and add that time back on, a standard clause in wrestling agreements. Meltzer stated, “I would be 95% sure that that’s true. I mean, I’ve heard things along those lines. And the fact that nobody has said that it’s not true… usually when something like that’s not true, somebody will say it. And nobody has. The whole idea of freezing a contract… if you’re out for a period of time, they can add that time back on. That’s standard in wrestling contracts.” No one in AEW has disputed the extension. Earlier reports suggested AEW President Tony Khan indicated Jericho was unlikely to extend his stay, but recent insider accounts point to the opposite. Jericho has remained vague about his future, promising a return to the ring by the end of 2026. Fans continue to speculate about potential appearances, including at WrestleMania 42 in Las Vegas. As of now, Jericho is listed on the official AEW roster, with his next steps unclear.
