Chris Jericho's WWE Return Is Getting SERIOUSLY Weird (AEW News)

Fightful Select are reporting that "AEW has a great relationship with Chris Jericho" amidst chatter about the legend's seemingly inevitable jump to WWE. Jericho didn't appear on the 5 January episode of flagship show Raw as many expected, but there's still a ton of talk online that he'll appear as part of the 30-man Royal Rumble on 31 Jan.

However, Fightful's write up on the situation includes details about an internal AEW memo doing the rounds registering recent releases...and Jericho's name hasn't been brought up. No less than 3 workers have been cut loose (Mercedes Martinez, Matt Taven and manager Alex Abrahantes), and All Elite chiefs made all staff aware of that with a quick note.

Further, the company has updated its roster page fairly quickly (which they tend to do; Fightful even noted that All Elite is "usually very particular about their roster page") to reflect each release. They haven't done that with Jericho just yet, and Fightful received no word when they asked whether or not the ex-Inner Circle and JAS leader was still with the promotion.

Nobody's talking.

When Fightful went to WWE and asked sources there for information, they were told that the veteran "has not been brought up creatively as of yet". Of course, as the site's post on this situation noted, "it wouldn't be the first time we got worked, too". WWE has become fairly adept at keeping cards close to chests!

To sum things up, nothing on AEW's side suggests that Jericho has officially left. Meanwhile, over in WWE, no-one is outright saying that Jericho is definitely coming in as part of 2026 plans. The plot thickens, basically.