Chris Jericho’s future in the wrestling business has been a subject of discussion for almost a year. The first-ever Undisputed Champion has been absent from AEW television since April 2025. Since that time, he has been rumored to return to his previous company, WWE. Jericho himself has been fueling the conversation by dropping hints for months.

However, recent reports suggest that Jericho is still listed on AEW’s roster page and that his contract has been frozen. Despite that, WWE and the Demo God have continued to hint, especially during the road to WrestleMania 42, that he will return to the company. Here are four signs that Chris Jericho will make his return at The Showcase of the Immortals this year.

#4. Chris Jericho dropped a hint before the Elimination Chamber PLE

The WWE Elimination Chamber Premium Live Event is a final major stop on the road to WrestleMania every year. Before the event took place in Chicago, Illinois, this year, Chris Jericho dropped a reference to the event. Y2J has been part of multiple Chamber matches and posted a clip from the bout at the 2003 WWE SummerSlam event. The former AEW World Champion was famously speared through the pod by WWE Hall of Famer Goldberg. Jericho dropping a hint as WWE nears WrestleMania 42 could be a sign of his return at the event.

#3. Michael Cole namedropped him at the Elimination Chamber PLE

During the 2026 WWE Elimination Chamber Premium Live Event, veteran commentator Michael Cole namedropped Chris Jericho on live television. It happened when CM Punk came out to face Finn Balor with his World Heavyweight Championship on the line. As the match moved at a fast pace, Cole mentioned Punk’s history with Jericho at the venue, i.e., United Center in Chicago, when the duo squared off in a Street Fight nearly 14 years ago.

#2. Brock Lesnar’s mystery opponent

WWE could run back Cody Rhodes’ return to the company in 2022 with Chris Jericho at WrestleMania 42. At the time, Seth Rollins was scheduled to face a mystery opponent who was supposed to be revealed at WrestleMania itself. It turned out to be The American Nightmare, who left AEW just months before. Now, Brock Lesnar has laid out an open challenge to anyone to face him at WrestleMania 42. For weeks, WWE could continue to tease the arrival of a mystery opponent. Finally, when the company comes to Las Vegas, they could have Jericho return on The Greatest Stage of Them All, which would surely garner one of the loudest pops in WWE history.

#1. CM Punk subtly dropped reference to Chris Jericho

Roman Reigns and CM Punk had a heated in-ring segment during the final hour of the March 2 episode of RAW. The Best in the World, in a heat-of-the-moment moment, said ‘You Just Made the List,’ which was Jericho’s popular catchphrase during the late 2010s. WWE dropping this reference on television during an important segment in the buildup to a marquee WrestleMania 42 match could be a subtle hint that Chris Jericho might make his shocking return at The Show of Shows this year.