Chris Jericho has never been one to stay still for long.
Over a three-decade career that has seen him conquer WCW, WWE, New Japan Pro-Wrestling and AEW, the Canadian trailblazer has continually reinvented himself with fresh characters and nicknames to match the times.
From ‘Y2J’ and ‘The Ayatollah of Rock ‘n’ Rolla’ to ‘Best in the World at What I Do,’ the ‘Saviour of WWE’ and later AEW’s ‘Demo God,’ Jericho has built a reputation as wrestling’s king of reinvention.
It is that ability to adapt that has kept him at the top level since his debut in 1990.
By the time he arrived in WWE in 1999, interrupting The Rock on Raw with his millennium countdown entrance, Jericho was already a name to watch. Within three years he was undisputed champion, famously defeating Rock and Steve Austin on the same night at Vengeance 2001.
In the years that followed, Jericho became a fixture of WWE history. He held multiple world championships, worked with everyone from Shawn Michaels to CM Punk, and headlined WrestleMania against Triple H.
His 2016 feud with Kevin Owens produced some of the most acclaimed segments of the modern era, with the ‘Festival of Friendship still regarded as one of Raw’s defining moments.
The lowly billing on the WrestleMania card in the Spring of 2017 ultimately paved the way for his departure from the company and, in 2018 Jericho shocked the industry by stepping outside WWE’s orbit.
Fans think hidden Jericho clue could point to WWE return
He became the first major name to sign with AEW in 2019, headlining their launch event Double or Nothing and later becoming the inaugural AEW World Champion by defeating ‘Hangman’ Adam Page.
His Le Champion persona and willingness to elevate young talent helped give AEW credibility in its formative years, while his Inner Circle stable became one of the promotion’s centrepieces.
Records show Jericho has wrestled more than 700 matches across his WWE stints alone, with over 3,000 career bouts worldwide. Yet as 2025 winds down, speculation is rising that his story may still have one more twist.
The latest spark came not from a promo or a storyline, but from social media sleuthing. Fans noticed Jericho had interacted with a post discussing the idea of him returning to WWE when his current AEW deal expires at the end of the year.
That simple act – a like, a mere tap of the thumb – has been seized upon as the clearest hint yet that the door to a WWE homecoming is open.
And with it, talk of a full-circle moment has taken hold. After all, Jericho has done everything in AEW from championship reigns to high-profile feuds with Kenny Omega, Jon Moxley and Orange Cassidy.
Is Chris Jericho set for a WWE Hall of Fame homecoming?
A return to WWE at 54 would not only offer the chance for a retirement run but also clear the way for an inevitable Hall of Fame induction.
Fans online have already been voicing their thoughts. One wrote: “I’m all for it, bring him back home so he can finish his career, and he can get his spot in the hall of fame.” Another added: “You know Jericho is going to be a surprise entrant at the Rumble. I’m down to see a Y2J retirement tour.”
The sentiment was echoed by others, another sentiment adding: “I think it’s time for Jericho to come back home. He literally did everything in AEW. Time to come back. Wish he was back before Cena retire and been Cena last opponent.” Another simply insisted: “Yes – this has to happen.”
Not everyone sees him in the ring, though. As another fan noted: “I’d be happy to have Jericho back in WWE to retire. I don’t see him wrestling though. Having him in a GM role, commentator, manager, or some other position seems more realistic.”
Still, whether it’s behind the mic or one last run with the tights on, the thought of Jericho in a WWE arena again is enough to stir nostalgia.
The man who made countdown clocks cool, turned catchphrases into art, and continually reinvented the wheel of wrestling entertainment has never truly been predictable. If the latest clue proves true, then one more WWE chapter may yet be waiting for him.
There is, of course, precedent has been set. John Cena’s year-long retirement run is already in full swing and causing drama at every turn.
He’ll be gone by the close of 2025, taking with him a huge dose of nostalgia, and a gap that Head of Creative Triple H needs to fill. Jericho might just be his man.