Andrew Ravens
Chris Jericho has always made a point of arriving in style, and his most recent return to AEW was no different — except that the effort this time was less about the entrance itself and more about ensuring nobody found out he was coming at all.
Speaking on Close Up with Renee Paquette, Jericho detailed the months of planning and the unusual precautions he took in the days leading up to the return.
“We planned it for a while, so it was kind of months in the making,” Jericho said. “I actually flew in a private jet the night before because I didn’t want anybody to see me. I didn’t see any of my friends. I didn’t even tell any of my friends that I was there. One of my best friends was there; he flew in from Vegas for the show. He didn’t even know I was going to be there, so it was a surprise for everybody.”
Jericho said he spent nearly 24 hours confined to his hotel room ahead of the return to avoid being spotted and having the surprise ruined. He also noted that he avoided using the elevator at the venue out of concern it could get stuck and prevent him from hitting his mark for the entrance. The level of precaution he took reflects how seriously he approached the secrecy around the moment, treating it with the same care he has given to some of the most memorable entrances of his career.
Jericho was one of the foundational signings for AEW when the promotion launched in 2019, providing credibility and going on to become the first-ever AEW Men’s World Champion. He led two factions during his time with the company — the Inner Circle, which debuted on the first episode of AEW Dynamite in October 2019, and The Learning Tree, which ran until his hiatus last year.
