AEW CEO Tony Khan has addressed the ongoing absence of Chris Jericho from AEW programming, offering limited but reassuring updates on the status of the company’s first-ever World Champion.
Jericho has not appeared on AEW television since April 2025, fueling speculation about his future as he nears the end of his current contract.
Speaking about Jericho during a recent interview, Khan made it clear that while he preferred not to disclose contract specifics, he remains hopeful about Jericho’s return. “It’s a very good question, and some of it comes down to just working out the dates,” Khan said when asked about Jericho’s recent hiatus. Pressed on whether Jericho’s deal is close to expiring, Khan responded: “I would rather not get into that, but also I respect you asking about it, and if I could give as much information as possible to try and keep a very constructive dialog…..I absolutely hope we’ll get Chris back in.”
Khan then praised Jericho’s impact on AEW from its inception, “Chris Jericho is somebody who’s in AEW and has been with us from the very beginning. He’s been on away from us for a bit.”
He continued, calling Jericho “absolutely as key and instrumental as any individual in the launch of AEW”, and adding, “I love Chris, personally and professionally… I’m very excited about everything Chris has done in AEW, and he continues to be with us…..I can’t speak to that [always being with AEW], but I love having Chris in AEW, and he’s always welcome. The door’s always open for Chris to come in.”
Jericho signed a multi-year contract extension in 2022, which is set to run through the end of 2025. His continued absence has sparked speculation about whether he may consider a return to WWE once the contract concludes, though no official indications of such a move have been reported.
For now, Khan’s remarks suggest that AEW remains eager for Jericho’s eventual return — and that “The Ocho” still holds a valued place within the company.
