Chris Jericho hasn’t been seen on television for months, but he’s been a talking point in the last few days. Why? Because there’s speculation that his time in All Elite Wrestling could be ending in a few short months. But that’s not it. Jericho took to liking a post on Instagram that has now created a rumor that he could be returning to WWE. Not only is Chris Jericho not needed in AEW, but he’s also not needed in WWE as well.
No one would argue the idea that Chris Jericho is an influential performer. He’s someone who has found a way to elevate himself to levels that didn’t seem possible. Jericho has remained relevant in ways that no one expected, consistently reinventing himself in new ways throughout his time in major companies like WWE, New Japan Pro Wrestling, and AEW. But Father Time is undefeated, and he has Jericho down for a 9-count.
Let’s fast forward to 2026. WWE is in Saudi Arabia. The Royal Rumble clock is counting down. The timer hits zero and one of the many Chris Jericho theme songs hits, signaling his return for the PLE. Would he get a huge ovation at that moment? Sure, that’s the type of situation The Royal Rumble is created for every year. But Jericho does not have long-term value to WWE, and that cannot be ignored.
Chris Jericho is old. He’s coming up on his 55th birthday in November. Want to know what is old? WWE’s main event scene. While the women’s division is building younger names like Rhea Ripley, Roxanne Perez, Tiffany Stratton, Lyra Valkyria, and others, the men’s division still holds on to men in the latter part of their athletic careers. So many of the top names on the men’s side are 40 years old or older. Adding Jericho to the mix would further increase the age of that group, and it would do something else detrimental as well.
Jericho returning to the WWE would take time away from someone like Carmelo Hayes or other young male performers looking to break through. Hayes, and others coming from NXT, should be the ones who are getting the types of angles that Jericho would take. While it would be great to see Jericho put some of them over along the way, even having him in that equation would take the space away from some others who need it more.
There’s no telling what is next for Chris Jericho. But the answer does not need to be WWE. His presence for a one-off moment could be fun, but a long-term run would not help anyone. In fact, it has the potential to cause more harm overall.