Chris Jericho has finally addressed the growing speculation surrounding his future in All Elite Wrestling and the persistent rumors linking him to a potential WWE return.
Speaking with Ringer Wrestling, Jericho reflected on how quickly online speculation can take on a life of its own in modern wrestling fandom, especially amid the increasingly tribal nature of today’s wrestling landscape.
“Well, the interesting thing about fans—in this day and age, then form their own opinions and then it becomes law. Because the opinions spread, you know? So whatever people believed or didn’t believe, it’s like I was not ever a part of any of it. You know what I mean?
And I think the best part was there was so much speculation of what is he going to do that either way, with the tribalism of wrestling nowadays, there’d be people happy about it and not happy about it, and this is the worst thing ever and this is the best thing ever.”
Jericho went on to explain that he has never paid much attention to negativity surrounding creative decisions or career moves, noting that he prefers focusing on audiences who simply want to enjoy wrestling.
“I’ve never really focused on that side of like, ‘This is terrible and it’s never going to work,’ because to me, anything can work and you always want to do your best to make it work.
And I focus on the people who are excited about things and the people who want to be entertained and want to be happy and want to have fun. That’s kind of the crowd that I focus on.”
When directly asked whether he had conversations with other promotions amid the rumors, Jericho stopped short of giving a definitive answer, instead teasing that there may be more to discuss down the line.
“[Can you tell us whether or not you had some conversations with other places?] I never said the rumors became fact. I said that the rumors became fact to the fans, right? But yeah, I’ll leave that for another day. I like the idea of the intrigue.”
Jericho has remained one of AEW’s most recognizable stars since the company launched in 2019, becoming the inaugural AEW World Champion and playing a major role in helping establish the promotion during its formative years. However, rumors regarding his long-term future intensified in recent months, particularly given his deep history with World Wrestling Entertainment and the company’s current creative direction under Paul Levesque.
While Jericho did not confirm any negotiations or talks, his comments are likely to keep speculation alive among fans wondering whether another WWE run could eventually be in the cards for the future Hall of Famer.
