There is one final layer to Chris Jericho’s pending free agency that ties everything together—and it may be the most Jericho explanation of all.
Chris Jericho has never simply stayed.
He resets.
And when he resets, history tells us that something big follows.
The Jericho Pattern: Reinvent, Exhaust, Exit, Return
Jericho’s career has always followed a rhythm that only he seems able to control.
From 1999 to 2005 in WWE, Jericho didn’t stop. He reinvented himself relentlessly, climbed every rung, and by the end openly admitted what many never do—burnout. Creative block. Mental exhaustion. The tank was empty.
So he walked away.
Two years later, he returned in 2007, sharper, darker, and creatively reborn. The break wasn’t a weakness—it was the fuel.
That pattern matters now.
AEW: Five Years Without a Brake Pedal
Since the inception of All Elite Wrestling, Jericho has been omnipresent.
Not a part-timer.
Not a legend in reserve.
A fixture.
From 2019 onward:
- First AEW World Champion
- The Inner Circle
- The Jericho Appreciation Society
- The Learning Tree
- A constant television presence
He reinvented himself repeatedly while also mentoring the next wave:
- Sammy Guevara (the closest thing to a Jericho prototype)
- Daniel Garcia
- Big Bill
- Brian Keith
He even carried Ring of Honor into AEW programming, helping stabilize and spotlight another brand.
For five straight years, Jericho never stepped away.
That alone is unprecedented—for him.
The April Silence: When Jericho Finally Left the Frame
Jericho being off AEW television since April is the most uncharacteristic development of his entire AEW tenure.
No farewell angle.
No final promo.
No dramatic punctuation.
Just absence.
And when Jericho disappears, it is rarely accidental. It is usually preparatory.
This feels less like indecision and more like recognition—that the creative well, after half a decade of constant output, needed space again.
WWE Feels Like Timing, Not Betrayal
A WWE return now doesn’t feel reactionary. It feels aligned.
What WWE offers in this era is fundamentally different:
- No Vince McMahon
- A more collaborative veteran environment
- A potential farewell tour
- A guaranteed Hall of Fame induction
- Narrative closure
This wouldn’t be about weekly dominance or long-term arcs. It would be about framing the ending.
Jericho once pushed back hard against the Hall of Fame concept. Time has softened that stance. Perspective tends to do that when the conversation shifts from relevance to legacy.
AEW Was the Creative Chapter—and It Still Matters
What Jericho gained in AEW cannot be overstated:
- Creative freedom
- Leadership authority
- Mentorship influence
- Founding father status
He didn’t just perform in AEW—he helped build it.
But AEW has also evolved. The company is now clearly focused on developing younger talent, shaping the next decade rather than celebrating the last one.
That doesn’t mean rejection. It means transition.
And both sides have handled it with almost conspicuous professionalism.
Tony Khan has repeatedly described his relationship with Jericho in strictly positive terms, openly stating he would love to have him back and framing any separation as a matter of timing, not tension.
That language matters.
The Rumors—and the Possibility of One Last Swerve
Wrestling journalists like Jon Alba have speculated about:
- A Royal Rumble appearance
- The first RAW of the new year
But this is Chris Jericho.
What if the buzz is the point?
What if the speculation was always part of the play—only for Jericho to reappear in AEW and remind everyone that the board never moved the way they thought it did?
He has done it before.
Chess, Not Checkers
The truth is simple and uncomfortable:
No one outside AEW or WWE truly knows what happens behind closed doors. Silence doesn’t equal conflict. Public positivity doesn’t equal permanence.
The only certainty is this:
Chris Jericho understands timing, narrative, and leverage better than almost anyone in wrestling history.
He steps away when he feels burned out.
He returns when the moment feels right.
And he always—always—controls his own ending.
As midnight arrives and the new year begins, we will finally get the answer.
Whether Jericho walks into WWE for a farewell run, re-emerges in AEW, or surprises everyone yet again, one thing is already clear:
Chris Jericho isn’t reacting to the industry.
The industry is still reacting to him.
And when the final move is revealed, it won’t feel accidental.
It will feel exactly like Chris Jericho.
Featured Articles
Featured Writers
