As of January 1, 2026, Chris Jericho is officially a free agent.
Jericho’s contract with All Elite Wrestling expired at midnight on December 31, meaning the veteran star is now legally free to negotiate and sign with any promotion. While no official announcement has been made regarding his next move, the prevailing belief within the industry is that Jericho is likely headed back to WWE.
With Jericho now on the open market, speculation has quickly shifted to when a potential return might happen rather than if. This Monday’s episode of WWE Raw marks the one-year anniversary of Raw airing on Netflix, making it a logical landing spot for a surprise appearance. However, sources caution that WWE could just as easily hold off until a later marquee moment, such as the Royal Rumble later this month.
Fuel was added to the speculation following comments Jericho made in November 2025 on his Talk Is Jericho podcast. While discussing TNA Wrestling’s Bound for Glory pay-per-view, Jericho openly praised the promotion’s presentation, stating that it made TNA feel like the “second biggest company in the world.”
During the same discussion, Jericho drew an unflattering comparison between TNA’s production and an episode of AEW Dynamite taped at the 2300 Arena. He remarked that the Dynamite broadcast resembled a “Tony Condello taping,” referencing the small independent shows he worked early in his career in Winnipeg. Industry analysts widely interpreted the comments as a thinly veiled critique of AEW’s presentation—and a possible sign that Jericho’s future with the company was coming to an end.
Despite being under contract with AEW for much of the past several years, Jericho has maintained an open line with WWE. Notably, on June 27, 2022, he appeared on Raw via a pre-recorded video message congratulating John Cena on his 20th anniversary in professional wrestling—a rare crossover moment at the time.
Jericho himself has continued to play coy when asked directly about his plans. During a late-December livestream, he responded to questions about a WWE return with a simple, “You never know.” In a separate radio interview, he was slightly more revealing about his future, stating, “I’m pretty sure you’ll see me in a wrestling ring in 2026.”
With his free agency now official and WWE’s calendar loaded with high-profile January events, all eyes are on when—and where—the next chapter of Chris Jericho’s storied career will unfold.