As 2025 came to a close, it seemed it was a matter of when, not if, regarding Chris Jericho leaving AEW and rejoining WWE. But for the first three months of 2026, that seemed to be delayed, as reports emerged that Jericho’s contract with AEW was potentially frozen, while WWE sources claimed there were no immediate plans for him. And now a new twist to the story suggests that the situation may have completely changed.

Fightful Select reports, in the wake of Jericho trademarking “The Cornerstone,” that there’s a growing belief within AEW that Jericho will, in fact, be returning to the promotion instead of going to WWE. That belief may turn into reality sooner than expected, as an update to the original report stated that Jericho was expected to travel to his hometown of Winnipeg tonight, where “AEW Dynamite” will be taking place. No details were given regarding what Jericho would be doing if his AEW return does come to pass.

There was no reason given regarding the sudden shift in Jericho’s plans, though it was noted that Jericho and AEW had been engaging in talks regarding his return to TV for “the last couple of months.” While this would suggest that the rumors of Jericho jumping to WWE were unfounded, it was confirmed that there were talks between WWE and Jericho during that same time.

At the same time, those within WWE have claimed that there were never concrete plans for Jericho to debut at the first “Raw” of the year, Royal Rumble, or Elimination Chamber, despite rumors he could appear. It was also noted that there had been no buzz about a Jericho return to WWE over the last several weeks.