Despite rampant speculation fueled by a tease from Raw General Manager Adam Pearce, Chris Jericho did not appear on the January 5 episode of Monday Night Raw in Brooklyn, New York.
A report from PWInsider.com leading up to the show indicated there was no internal belief within WWE that the former AEW World Champion would be present at the Barclays Center.
The rumors intensified over the weekend due to Jericho’s contract status and a pointed comment from Pearce. Jericho’s contract with All Elite Wrestling reportedly expired at the end of 2025, theoretically making him a free agent, though he remains listed on the official AEW website’s roster page as of Monday afternoon.
Speculation was further stoked when Pearce, while promoting the championship matches for the Netflix anniversary special, asked, “Who can break down the walls and claim the gold?”—a phrasing widely interpreted as a direct reference to Jericho’s iconic “Break the Walls Down” entrance theme.
While Jericho was not present for the Netflix one-year anniversary show, his return to a wrestling ring in 2026 appears certain. In late 2025, Jericho stated: “Well, you never know, man. That’s the thing is — I’m not done yet. So, still figuring out everything and we’ll see where I end up. But I’m pretty sure you’ll see me in 2026 in a wrestling ring somewhere.”
The January 5 broadcast, officially billed as RAW x Stranger Things, proceeded with a stacked lineup, including CM Punk defending the World Heavyweight Championship against Bron Breakker. Punk enters the match having recently survived anassault from Breakker and the revealed “Masked Attacker,” Austin Theory, on the December 15 episode of Raw.
Theory, who unmasked after helping Logan Paul defeat Rey Mysterio, has become a central figure in the feud between Punk and Breakker over the last few weeks. Jericho has yet to address the speculation.
