As previously reported, it was announced earlier this week that AEW has frozen the contract of pro wrestling legend and former AEW World Champion Chris Jericho. According to the initial report by Fightful Select, Jericho's AEW contract was frozen, believed to be due to his time off from AEW programming.
Fightful's earlier report also indicated that sources close to Jericho have remained tight-lipped about his in-ring future. Additionally, Jericho has reportedly expressed that he would be open to a return to WWE; however, he is concerned that doing so might require him to give up his remaining outside projects.
Dave Meltzer mentioned on the latest edition of Wrestling Observer Radio that he has heard similar information regarding Jericho's contract, considering the news to be credible. Meltzer explained that AEW was able to freeze Jericho’s contract and extend its duration due to the time he took off during his latest deal.
Meltzer stated that he has inquired with various sources, but they have not provided any comments. He expressed a high degree of certainty—about 95%—that if the report were untrue, he would have known very quickly, leading him to conclude that the report is true since no one has disputed it.
He added that this situation may delay Jericho's potential return to WWE for some time, but eventually, he will have the opportunity to return or perhaps negotiate a new arrangement, the details of which remain uncertain. Meltzer also noted that he doesn’t believe Jericho is particularly focused on a WWE Hall of Fame induction, suggesting it may not be as significant to him as it is for others. He thinks that Jericho is open to it, but under different circumstances, he would have likely remained with AEW until the end and acted as a brand ambassador thereafter.
Meltzer further explained that it might be better for Jericho’s career to return to WWE, where the fan base is generally more receptive to him, especially since he has recently faced rejection from AEW fans. Currently, Jericho's contract status with AEW likely rules him out as the individual appearing in a crate on WWE television. As of now, he is still listed as part of the official AEW roster.
