Like many WWE Network subscriptions, Chris Jericho‘s WWE contract expired April 30th, 2017. Even though Y2J made an explosive cameo for a July episode of SmackDown, the current plan is for the 47-year old to stay out of WWE.
Jericho recently sat down with Rolling Stone to discuss his life as wrestling’s renaissance man. However, when the topic turned to his future, Jericho shared a sobering revelation.
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“I haven’t been full-time with the WWE since 2010. That’s something a lot of people don’t realize, because when I come back there’s always a good angle. And 2016 was one of the best years of my career, so people are always asking when I’m going back but there were no plans to go back. There still isn’t,” he said.
While Jericho hasn’t been “full time” he’s still been an integral part of WWE for most of this decade. While Jericho doesn’t have an explicit agreement with WWE, he still seems optimistic that he will eventually make a return.
“…Will I go back? I’m sure I will, but if I don’t it wouldn’t bother me either because I’ve had a lot of great times there, but I’ve got a lot of stuff on the horizon that’s building as well,” explained Jericho.
Despite not having a contract with WWE, Jericho will be wrestling in 2018. On January 4th, Jericho will headline New Japan Wrestling’s version of WrestleMania at the Tokyo Dome’s Wrestle Kingdom 12. Jericho will be taking on IWGP United States champion and Bullet Club representative, Kenny Omega. Their upcoming match has already drawn plenty of positive attention as the merging of Jericho’s household name and Omega’s budding revolution have created an interesting juxtaposition.
One would think that with Jericho staying in the ring shape that a return to WWE is imminent sometime next year. while that may prove to be true, it won’t be at Wrestlemania as Fozzy, Jericho’s is booked to play in New Hampshire the same day at the New Orleans super show.
Jericho seems like he’s at peace with it all, but if we had to guess, we haven’t seen the last of Y2J in WWE.
