Chris Jericho says he won’t take it personally if his continued association with AEW ultimately affects his chances of being inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame.
Jericho’s future became the subject of considerable speculation around the beginning of 2026, with his AEW contract situation fueling rumors that he could return to WWE for one final run before eventually receiving a Hall of Fame induction.
Jericho instead remained with AEW, signing a new deal with the promotion he has been part of since its launch in 2019.
During an appearance on TMZ’s Inside The Ring, Jericho was asked whether he believes his WWE Hall of Fame induction could now be a long way off. The former Undisputed WWE Champion said the body of work he produced during nearly two decades with WWE already speaks for itself.
“Once again, I had a great career in WWE. It was almost 20 years, with a few years here off,” Jericho said. “It was always my dream to be in the WWE. And did I create enough memorable moments and matches and characters and creations and rivalries and moments to be in the WWE Hall of Fame? Absolutely. That’s all I need.”
Jericho acknowledged that politics or wrestling’s often tribal nature could potentially factor into whether WWE ultimately honors him, but said he has been in the business long enough to understand how those situations work.
“If I’m in, if I’m not in, if it’s tribalism, if it’s politics — I get that too, man. I’ve been in this business 36 years. I understand how it works,” he continued. “It’s not personal. I’m not insulted.”
The 55-year-old also raised the possibility of eventually being inducted into an AEW Hall of Fame if the company establishes one in the future.
“And if I finish my career with AEW and [am] the first inductee or the second inductee or the 10th inductee into the AEW Hall of Fame, that’s great too,” Jericho said. “But I’m in the Hall of Fame in my head and in the heads of anybody that appreciates the work that I’ve done. That’s good enough for me, man. Like, it really is.”
For Jericho, spending more than three decades traveling the world and making a living in professional wrestling carries more significance than receiving an official Hall of Fame honor.
“I don’t need anything else than that. That might sound a little bit like — but it’s really true,” he continued. “I’ve had a real blessed life in that I’ve got a chance to travel around the world doing what I always wanted to do.”
Jericho also pointed toward the emotional reactions he has generated from wrestling fans throughout his career, whether they were cheering or booing him.
“And making people happy by doing it — or getting people angry by doing it, which is the same thing,” he said. “That’s Hall of Fame all across the board.”
Jericho last competed inside a WWE ring in 2018 before becoming one of AEW’s most significant original signings the following year. He went on to become the inaugural AEW World Champion.
Despite speculation surrounding a potential WWE return during his latest contract negotiations, Jericho ultimately signed a new AEW deal and has not publicly established a timetable for his retirement.
Jericho is currently scheduled to return to the ring against Nick Wayne at AEW Grand Slam: France in Paris.
