Did Chris Jericho Make the Right Call Returning to AEW?

A few months ago, fans were certain that Chris Jericho was returning to WWE. But the former World Champion chose to return "home" to AEW this week on Dynamite.

Chris Jericho disappeared from AEW programming following the April 9, 2025, episode of Dynamite from Baltimore, Maryland. Jericho had recently dropped the Ring of Honor World Championship to Bandido and placed the blame on his Learning Tree stablemates, Big Bill and Bryan Keith, before storming out of the venue, getting into a car, and leaving.

Several months would go by, and there was no indication that Jericho was set to return to AEW television. This led to reports that Jericho's contract is set to expire at the end of 2025, and all signs indicated he was heading back to WWE, with some reports suggesting he would pop up on the first Raw of the year or even at the Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia.

Neither of these things happened.

Chris Jericho's AEW contract was reportedly frozen

The explanation that eventually came out was that Jericho had his AEW contract frozen by Tony Khan over time away from the company and outside commitments. Months later, Jericho would return to AEW earlier this week in his hometown of Winnipeg.

Reports surfaced following his return that Jericho has signed a new deal with the company, but that has yet to be confirmed.

If Jericho has, in fact, signed a new contract with AEW, it would likely mean he's there for the rest of his career, leaving a WWE return out of the question. So, was this the right call?

"Winnipeg! I'm home" - @IAmJericho

Watch #AEWDynamite LIVE on TBS + HBO Max pic.twitter.com/jtznXvEbtL
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) April 2, 2026

If Chris Jericho is back for the long haul, the AEW return was the right call

During the months of speculation about Chris Jericho's WWE return, it was noted that the company was interested in bringing him back for a farewell retirement tour. With that in mind, it doesn't sound like Jericho would have been back for long and likely would have seen his career come to an end at the hands of Gunther.

If Jericho believes he still has a lot to offer to the industry in and out of the ring, the WWE return wouldn't have done him any favors. The return to AEW this week allows Jericho to give his character another refresh and go out on his terms. It's clear Jericho is going to have a lot more say in his creative direction in AEW than he ever would have had in WWE.

Jericho's less-than-stellar backstage history with Triple H could have easily led to creative conflicts between the two men had he returned to WWE. On the flip side, Jericho has been working with Tony Khan since AEW's inception in 2019; he knows what to expect and understands he has a lot more stroke with Khan than he does with Hunter.

Wednesday Night #AEWDynamite
LIVE, 8/7c on TBS + HBO Max
Wednesday, 4/8@IAmJericho Will Address His Return LIVE

The former AEW World Champion made a shocking return to AEW in Winnipeg last night on Dynamite.

We'll hear more from Chris Jericho LIVE in Edmonton, THIS WEDNESDAY! pic.twitter.com/F9Hy2WGKkm
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) April 3, 2026

The landscape of AEW has very much changed since Jericho last competed inside the ring. There are plenty of new faces for him to work with and fresh storylines to be involved in. Jericho has proven throughout his career that he's excellent at reinventing himself and has another chance to prove his doubters wrong with his latest AEW run.

What Chris Jericho will have to say on Dynamite next week is anybody's guess, but it will likely go a long way in establishing the type of Jericho we're going to see in AEW going forward.