Chris Jericho Pictured With WWE Star Amid Return Rumors

The rumors surrounding a potential WWE return for Chris Jericho refuse to go away, and now, even more fuel has been added to the fire.

Jericho was in attendance for the Tampa Bay Lightning's NHL game against the Dallas Stars on Thursday night (October 30) and had a friend alongside him. A best friend, actually. Although their friendship did admittedly hit upon some very hard times back in 2017.

A Festival of Friendship Took Place at a Tampa Bay Lightning Game

Jericho took to his Instagram to share a picture of himself with Kevin Owens at the Lightning vs Stars game. The pair were a team through much of 2016, with Jericho helping Owens retain the WWE Universal Title on multiple occasions, while also becoming the United States Champion himself.

The best friends would ultimately be torn apart when, in one of the most memorable angles in WWE history, Owens brutally beat down Jericho during the Festival of Friendship Jericho had thrown for the pair on an episode of Raw in February, 2017.

This would eventually lead to a match at WrestleMania 33 between the former friends, which Owens won to dethrone Jericho as US Champion.

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In the modern day, Jericho is currently only a couple of months away from his contract expiring with All Elite Wrestling, where he has plied his trade since 2019, becoming the company's first-ever World Champion and one of the lynchpins of Tony Khan's promotion throughout the six years of its existence.

Owens, meanwhile, is recovering from neck surgery after being out of action since March with an injury that has left his future career plans shrouded in uncertainty.

Jericho Constantly Linked With a Major Royal Comeback

Jericho's potential return to WWE is being forecast for next year's Royal Rumble, being that the marquee event in Saudi Arabia takes place roughly a month after his AEW contract expires. While Tony Khan has expressed a desire to keep Jericho with his Jacksonville-based promotion, it doesn't appear this desire is making much headway in negotiations to keep the former AEW Champion with the company.

Of course, while Jericho is still under contract with AEW, this is all merely rumor and innuendo until anything concrete is confirmed. While the one-time Ayatollah of Rock and Rolla's star may have faded during his last couple of years in AEW, Jericho remains a much-loved act among a large portion of WWE's fanbase.

Being that the former Undisputed WWE Champion has not appeared on WWE television in seven years (with the exception of an appearance on Steve Austin's Broken Skull Sessions in 2022 which, three years on, still feels insane to think happened) there will be a deafening ovation awaiting or him should 'Break The Walls Down' hit the speakers of a WWE event unexpectedly sometime in the near future.

There is also, most definitely, a WWE Hall of Fame induction on its way whenever Jericho is no longer All Elite.

Until that time, however, this was just two best friends enjoying a wholesome game of ice hockey together. Anyone who says anything different? They're going to make The List.

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