Former AEW World Champion Chris Jericho celebrated his 55th birthday on November 9, 2025, and a social media post marking the occasion has ignited a new wave of speculation about a potential WWE return. Jericho posted a photo on Instagram showing off a ridiculously shredded physique, looking leaner and more muscular than he has in years. This update on his physical condition, combined with other recent actions, has fans wondering about his future.
The speculation intensified significantly due to Jericho’s activity in the photo’s comment section. Fans quickly noticed that Jericho had “liked” a comment from a fan that simply read, “WrestleMania baby”. This action was immediately interpreted by many as a cryptic hint that Jericho could be planning a return to WWE, nearly six years after he helped launch AEW. The timing has many pointing toward WrestleMania 42 in 2026 as a potential target.
Adding to the rumors are Jericho’s recent business decisions, which also suggest a possible shift away from All Elite Wrestling. He recently abandoned the trademark for “The Jericho Vortex,” a phrase he used during his 2024 “Learning Tree” gimmick in AEW. Furthermore, his 2026 “Rock ‘N’ Wrestling Rager” cruise has been advertised with no AEW branding or talent, a stark contrast to previous cruises which were heavily integrated with the AEW product.
WWE Return Speculation For Chris Jericho
These developments come as Jericho’s AEW contract is reportedly set to expire at the end of 2025. While there has been no confirmation that WWE Creative is in talks with Jericho, reports suggest some within AEW believe he will not be returning to the company and is likely headed back to WWE.
Despite the speculation, AEW President Tony Khan has publicly stated his appreciation for Jericho, saying, “I love working with Chris. He’s an important part of this company”. In a more recent statement in October 2025, Khan gave a less committal answer, stating, “We’ll see what happens here in the coming months”.
Jericho has been absent from all AEW programming since April 2025. His last major storyline concluded at the Dynasty pay-per-view, where he lost the ROH World Championship to Bandido. On the following episode of Dynamite, Jericho blamed his “Learning Tree” stablemates, Big Bill and Bryan Keith, for the loss, disbanded the faction, and announced he was “leaving for a while”.
With his contract reportedly nearing its end, it is unclear if his new physique is in preparation for an AEW comeback or a jump back to WWE, possibly at the 2026 Royal Rumble.
