While heavily rumored to return on the Jan. 5, 2026, episode of Monday Night RAW, during its collaboration with Stranger Things, former WWE Superstar Chris Jericho failed to appear on the show.
The end of 2025 also reportedly marked an end to Jericho's AEW contract. While the veteran still appears on AEW's roster page, there is currently no confirmed information available regarding his continuance with AEW or potential comeback to WWE.
Now, just a few hours after RAW, AEW president Tony Khan appeared on Unlikely with Adrian Hernandez, where he opened up about his thoughts on Jericho. When asked about more information on Jericho's current status, Tony Khan preferred to share his love for the promotion's first champion and how valuable he has been for All Elite Wrestling.
“First of all, I’m really grateful when I talk about people that have been here from the beginning and talk about that first show [Double or Nothing 2019] in Las Vegas, none of it would be possible without Chris Jericho, who has been instrumental in AEW from the very beginning,” Kahn said. “I love Chris very much. And I would say that Chris is always a big part of AEW, and I think this promotion is here to stay.
“Chris Jericho’s a huge part of our history. And we’re really proud of what we’ve been able to accomplish, and Chris is an instrumental part of it,” he continued.
Since AEW's inception in 2019, Jericho has arguably been one of the key figures in the promotion. He was also the promotion's first World Champion and helped put together several brand new upcoming stars, including MJF, Sammy Guevara, Bandido, and many more. While rumors circulate around Jericho's WWE return, it would be highly likely at the upcoming Royal Rumble PLE in Saudi Arabia, and possibly for a retirement run and a Hall of Fame induction.
