Dave Meltzer On Chris Jericho’s AEW Return, WWE Negotiations

After months of speculation linking Chris Jericho to a potential WWE comeback, Jericho has instead resurfaced in familiar territory—making his return on AEW Dynamite and putting an end, at least for now, to the ongoing rumors.

Leading up to this week, there had been growing belief within WWE circles that Jericho was on track to rejoin the company where he built much of his legendary career. That chatter only intensified as WrestleMania season approached, with fans and insiders alike expecting some kind of major development.

According to Dave Meltzer on Wrestling Observer Radio, the situation took a turn very recently. Meltzer noted that he began hearing conflicting updates within a short window—initially getting wind of Jericho being tied to WrestleMania plans, only to then learn almost immediately that Jericho was headed to Winnipeg for AEW instead.

After checking in with WWE sources, Meltzer was told that Jericho is no longer expected to return to the company anytime soon—if at all. That response seemingly confirmed that Jericho had made his decision, paving the way for his AEW comeback.

While the exact reasoning behind Jericho’s choice remains unclear, Meltzer did shed some light on what WWE may have had in mind. The reported idea was to bring Jericho back for a retirement run, positioning his return as a farewell tour rather than a long-term program.

If that was indeed the pitch, it’s possible it didn’t align with Jericho’s vision for this stage of his career. Instead, he’s back in AEW, where he continues to be a central figure and has more creative flexibility moving forward.

For now, Jericho’s return to Dynamite puts an end to one of wrestling’s more intriguing “what if” scenarios—at least temporarily. As always in pro wrestling, though, never say never.

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