WWE Hall of Famer Jim Ross weighed in on Chris Jericho’s recent return to AEW, noting that while the comeback may have caught some fans off guard, the circumstances behind it made perfect sense.
Speaking on the latest episode of Grilling JR, Ross admitted he initially believed Jericho might resurface in WWE, but ultimately pointed to the significance of Jericho appearing in his hometown as a key factor.
“I just thought that Jericho, he’s going to return with one company or the other. I’m sure Tony Khan is paying Chris great, great paydays, no doubt. But the other thing is, Jericho’s hometown. He’s an old school guy, and old enough school guy that wrestling in his hometown on a big pay-per-view is not beyond happening. I just don’t know. I think he’s an old school guy, and him going back to Winnipeg, his hometown, where he got his career started, is not a massive surprise,” Ross said.
Ross added that Jericho’s mindset and approach to the business still reflect traditional wrestling values, making a hometown appearance on a major show an easy decision.
“Hell yeah, and it’s his hometown. It’s not just Canada, it’s his hometown. And I think Jericho, as I said, still has a lot of old school characteristics and the way he thinks things out and how he responds. So this is a great opportunity for him to have some fun and contribute to the success of his current company. And I think that he’s still, like I said, he’s the old school guy, old enough that he wants to contribute in his hometown. It may sound naive on my part, but I know Chris very well. I hired him, recruited him. So I just think this timing is just too good to be true, and somehow, some way or another, I think they may shoot an angle on Dynamite this week and see where the cards fall. But I think he’s definitely going to be in Winnipeg. I think he’s definitely going to be on the card. He’ll get a pop, no doubt about it. And wrestlers love pops. Fans, we love pops. So I think that’s where we are with him. He’s just, that’s just his nature. And I think it’ll be good, and I think it’ll be good for the show, because he’ll bring a lot of energy into the building, and you can’t get too much of that,” Ross said.
AEW Dynasty is set to take place on Sunday, April 12, at Rogers Arena in Vancouver, British Columbia. Jericho is scheduled to face Ricochet at the event, with the match having been set up during a recent episode of AEW Dynamite.
