WWE official Adam Pearce may have just dropped a not-so-subtle hint about the future of Chris Jericho while promoting Monday night’s episode of WWE Raw.
While previewing the card for the show, Pearce posed a question that immediately sent wrestling fans into speculation mode:
“Who can break down the walls?”
The line is famously associated with Jericho’s iconic WWE entrance theme, and its timing is impossible to ignore.
As of January 1, 2026, Jericho is officially a free agent after his AEW contract expired at midnight on December 31. He is now legally free to sign with any promotion, and industry belief continues to strongly point toward a WWE return.
Pearce’s comment arrives at a particularly notable moment. Monday’s Raw marks the one-year anniversary of the show’s move to Netflix, positioning it as a prime stage for a major surprise. Additionally, the Royal Rumble later this month—traditionally a hotbed for shock returns—remains another obvious possibility.
Jericho’s AEW exit followed eyebrow-raising remarks he made in November 2025 on his Talk Is Jericho podcast. During the episode, he openly praised TNA Wrestling’s Bound for Glory presentation, saying it made the company feel like the “second biggest promotion in the world.” In contrast, he criticized an episode of All Elite Wrestling Dynamite filmed at the 2300 Arena, comparing it to a “Tony Condello taping”—a reference to low-budget independent shows from his early days.
Despite being under AEW contract at the time, Jericho maintained ties with WWE. He notably appeared via video on Raw in June 2022 to congratulate John Cena on his 20-year anniversary and later appeared on Broken Skull Sessions.
As for what’s next, Jericho has kept things deliberately vague. On a recent live stream, he simply told fans, “You never know,” while also stating in a radio interview that he’s “pretty sure you’ll see me in a wrestling ring in 2026.”
Whether Pearce’s line was playful banter or a calculated tease, it has undeniably reignited speculation. With Raw’s Netflix anniversary looming and the Royal Rumble around the corner, the question now is not if Jericho returns—but when.
