What does Chris Jericho’s ‘frozen’ AEW contract update mean for WWE return?

All signs pointed to Chris Jericho making his WWE return in 2026, but his AEW contract’s latest update may pour cold water on that.

Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select recently reported that Jericho’s AEW contract has been “frozen,” meaning his tenure could be prolonged due to missed time due to injuries and other circumstances.

So, if true, Jericho may not be able to make it back to WWE anytime soon. It’s unclear how long it is “frozen” for, but one would have to assume it’s for a somewhat significant chunk of time.

Furthermore, Jericho is still listed on the promotion’s roster. He will likely remain there until he officially leaves the company, whenever that may be.

Will Chris Jericho leave AEW to return to WWE?

At one point, it appeared all but confirmed that Jericho was jumping ship back to WWE. Now, his future appears murky with the latest update on his contract.

Even if his contract is “frozen,” Jericho will eventually be free to join WWE. However, there’s a chance he will miss WrestleMania 42, depending on how long it is paused for.

It appeared Jericho was hoping to go back to WWE for one last run before hanging it up. Jericho has been with AEW since its conception in 2019. He was the inaugural AEW World Champion.

He has not been in WWE since 2018. Jericho left after the Greatest Royal Rumble in April 2018, and he joined AEW shortly after. Upon his AEW debut, he formed the “Inner Circle,” a faction consisting of Sammy Guevara, Jake Hager, Santana, and Ortiz. MJF and Wardlow would later join the group.

Throughout his WWE career, Jericho won countless championships. It’s unclear who he would target upon his return, but expect him to be a main event player once again.

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