Summary

Chris Jericho made his return to AEW on the April 1, 2026 edition of Dynamite, held at the Canada Life Centre in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He had been absent from AEW television for a full year. Dave Meltzer discussed the situation in a recent podcast, detailing how the return came together and why Jericho ultimately chose to stay in AEW rather than making the jump to WWE.

Jericho opened the show, coming out to his "Judas" theme with his father and family seated in the front row. The crowd of over 4,500 gave him a pop for the surprise, sang along to the entrance, and Jericho worked to pump up the building. His message was simple: he's back. Winnipeg is the city where he grew up, which made the homecoming meaningful on a personal level.

Reports leading up to the return had noted a trademark filing for the name "Cornerstone", and internal discussions about bringing Jericho back had been circulating for some time before it was confirmed.

The decision to stay with AEW

According to Meltzer, Jericho had genuine conversations with WWE during his time away. WWE apparently believed at one point that he was coming to them, and their position after the AEW return was confirmed was that Jericho is not expected in WWE anytime soon, and possibly never.

What WWE had on the table was a retirement tour. AEW, by contrast, offered Jericho the possibility of more longevity in his career, along with what Meltzer suggested was likely more money and significantly more creative input. Meltzer outlined the tradeoffs plainly: a bigger audience in WWE versus more freedom and financial opportunity in AEW.

Quote from Dave Meltzer

"I know what I was told: they wanted him for a retirement tour. With AEW, perhaps he was going to get more longevity. All things considered, WWE seemed like the place for him to go, but they're not all equal. There are a lot of advantages for AEW, including money. He may have been offered more money in AEW."

Meltzer later went on to say:

"During this whole period, we haven't talked at all about this because I know he's not going to discuss it; he wants it to be a secret. At this stage of his life, his financial situation is probably great. I would think he made a lot of money in AEW. At this point, especially at his age, he's going to want to do what's creatively fulfilling and fun."

On the crowd reaction in Winnipeg, Meltzer noted it was a genuine pop but not overwhelming, observing that the same return on a WWE show would likely have drawn a significantly louder response given the difference in audience sizes. He credited Jericho's song choice, saying the "Judas" theme drew considerably more engagement than a newer track would have.

"A couple days ago, I woke up and received a text message, which you [Bryan Alvarez] had as well, about Jericho and WrestleMania. Five minutes later, I got a phone call from somebody saying Jericho is going to be in Winnipeg for AEW. It's not something you can go with, but it was what I heard. So, I checked with WWE, because I know he had been talking to them. They thought at one point he was going, and their response was that he is not coming to WWE anytime soon and maybe never."

What Jericho's AEW return means for the coming weeks

Jericho walked out, said he was back, and left. AEW now has a major name back on the roster with no announced direction heading into Dynasty season. The open question is what role he steps into. A year away and a deliberately understated return suggest this was designed to reset perception rather than launch immediately into a feud, but AEW will need to give him a program quickly to make the comeback mean something beyond the initial surprise.

The WWE retirement tour option being off the table, at least for now, also confirms that Jericho still sees himself as an active competitor rather than someone winding down. What creative uses him for in the near term will say a lot about how much runway he actually has in AEW.

Sources

As reported by NoDQ.