Fri Jan 02 11:20:00 UTC 2026: Okay, here’s a news article summarizing and rewriting the provided text:

Chris Jericho a Free Agent; WWE Return Rumors Intensify

January 2, 2026 – Veteran professional wrestler Chris Jericho is officially a free agent as of January 1, 2026. His contract with All Elite Wrestling (AEW) expired at midnight on December 31st, opening the door for him to negotiate and potentially sign with any wrestling promotion.

While Jericho himself has remained tight-lipped about his future plans, speculation is rampant that a return to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) is highly likely. The rumor mill is churning with potential dates for a Jericho appearance, with some pointing to this Monday’s episode of WWE Raw, marking the show’s one-year anniversary on Netflix. Others suggest a surprise appearance at the Royal Rumble later this month is also a possibility.

Fueling the speculation are comments Jericho made on his “Talk Is Jericho” podcast in November 2025. While praising the production quality of TNA Wrestling’s “Bound for Glory” pay-per-view, he seemingly took a shot at AEW, comparing a particular episode of AEW Dynamite to low-budget independent shows he wrestled on early in his career. This was widely interpreted as a sign of discontent with AEW’s creative direction and a potential prelude to his departure.

Interestingly, even while with AEW, Jericho maintained a friendly relationship with WWE, appearing in a pre-recorded video message on WWE Raw in June 2022 to congratulate John Cena on his 20th anniversary.

Jericho has offered only cryptic responses when questioned about his future. Responding to questions about a WWE return during a late December livestream, he said, “You never know.” He also confirmed in a radio interview that fans would “pretty sure see me in a wrestling ring in 2026.”

The wrestling world awaits to see where the legendary “Ayatollah of Rock ‘n’ Rolla” will land next.

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