Chris Jericho’s return at next week’s WWE Greatest Royal Rumble comes after a lengthy absence from the company.
Though Jericho did return for an appearance at January’s RAW 25 show, he last performed in a WWE ring on July 25, 2017 during an episode of SmackDuring in a triple threat match with AJ Styles and Kevin Owens. Since that time, he had a highly acclaimed match with Kenny Omega at New Japan Pro Wrestling’s WrestleKingdom 12 event on January 4th and has been touring with his rock band Fozzy.
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However, according to Jericho during an interview with Brian Campbell of CBS Sports, the chance to perform at the big show in Saudi Arabia was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up.
“It’s just one of those things where it’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity,” Jericho said. “Obviously, you are getting a chance to work with Saudi Arabia at the highest levels. We have been there in 2015 and had some great shows but it seems like they are kind of trying to change the way things are done over there. And it’s really cool to have been asked by WWE to be a part of it. As you know, I’m not working there full time right now but still part of the family.”
Jericho was originally scheduled for the 50-man Royal Rumble, then replaced Rusev in a casket match with The Undertaker, and has now been shuffled back to the 50-man Rumble following Rusev once again being placed in the match with The Undertaker.
The relationship Jericho has with Vince McMahon has allowed him to wrestle on-again, off-again with WWE since 2010 while he also places emphasis on touring with Fozzy. It was also that relationship that allowed him to return for the big show on April 27 in Saudi Arabia.
“It’s good enough [his relationship with McMahon] that they called me when this show came up,” Jericho said. “I have a really good relationship with the company and with Vince in that I’ve been working there for 17 years pretty much, on and off. Up until this year when I did the show with New Japan, I have never wrestled in any other ring other than the WWE ring since 1999 and Vince knew about [NJPW] right from the start. It’s one of those things where WWE is my home base for wrestling. I’m not a full-time performer in the wrestling world, nor have I been since 2010.”
