The edited version of the interview reads far less scathingly as far as AEW goes, with Jericho’s laurels centering around the presentation of the event overall and the hype leading up to the match itself. “I was so impressed,” he said. “It wasn’t even the match. It was the beginning part, before you guys even locked up. It was the end part, after it happened. I’m getting literal goosebumps. That’s pro wrestling in its ultimate form. That’s all that matters is that emotion and that reaction.”

Comparing the look and feel of it all to WWE’s landmark event, Jericho didn’t hold back whatsoever. “The presentation was amazing,” he opined. “I mean, it looked like a WrestleMania. It really did.”

The timing of the comments, of course, line up perfectly with speculation on Jericho’s future with AEW, and in wrestling as a whole. Wrestling Observer’s Dave Meltzer reported in August that his AEW deal would run out in December, fueling all kinds of speculation that a WWE return is inevitable. The first-ever AEW Champion hasn’t been seen since losing the ROH Championship to Bandido at AEW Dynasty in April, and voices across the wrestling landscape are earmarking WWE’s Royal Rumble in January as a plausible return date for the former “Y2J.” His annual Jericho Cruise, which has traditionally been heavily-attended by AEW talent, currently has no current members of the roster listed as scheduled to be on hand, and clearly, the recent comments surrounding Bound for Glory, especially now edited out on account of AEW comparisons, will only exacerbate rumors of a WWE return for the six-time recognized world champion under that company’s umbrella.

If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit “Talk Is Jericho” and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.