Chris Jericho made a surprise return to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) on Wednesday night during AEW Dynamite in Winnipeg, Canada, ending months of speculation about his future in professional wrestling. The 53-year-old wrestler, who had been absent from AEW programming for nearly a year, walked out to his iconic theme song Judas and delivered a brief but impactful promo: "I'm home."
Jericho’s return came after widespread speculation about his potential move to WWE, with reports suggesting discussions between the two sides over the past year. However, AEW and Jericho had been in talks about his return for the last couple of months, and his decision to trademark "The Cornerstone" earlier this week accelerated rumors of his imminent comeback. The Winnipeg crowd, where Jericho grew up, gave him a hero’s welcome.
Jericho joined AEW in January 2019 and was part of the company’s inaugural event, Double or Nothing. He is the first AEW world champion in the company’s history and has held multiple titles, including the FTW Championship and two Ring of Honor world championships. His last appearance in AEW was at the AEW Dynasty pay-per-view, where he lost the Ring of Honor World Heavyweight Championship to Bandido.
The wrestler had been widely expected to appear at WWE’s Royal Rumble in January, with some reports suggesting he could enter as a surprise entrant. When that did not materialize, WrestleMania 42 became the next rumored destination for his return. However, Jericho’s decision to return to AEW in his hometown solidified his commitment to the promotion where he has spent the past several years of his career.