Chris Jericho: It’s More Exciting To Be With The Company I Helped Create

Chris Jericho was off AEW television for a year beginning in April 2025. His contract was reportedly up at the end of the year, and while there was speculation that he might return to WWE, he ultimately returned to AEW in April 2026.

Speaking to Beef Vegan, Jericho was asked how close he was to returning to WWE.

“You weigh all your options, but I have skin in the game with AEW. I helped create AEW and I was never gone. I was just off TV for a while, while we figured out some stuff. Basically, I ended one contract and went straight to the other one. I like Tony Khan as a boss. I like AEW as a company and the growth that we’ve done. I helped start the company. WWE existed before I was there. It exists after I was there. AEW will exist after I’m there, but it didn’t exist before I was there. It’s more exciting to be with the company that I helped create,” he said.

Jericho was one of the first signings to AEW and Tony Khan credits him for helping launch the company.

Elsewhere during the interview, Jericho commented on his match against Tommaso Ciampa at AEW Redemption. You can find his full comments here.

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