Chris Jericho Reportedly Headed Back to WWE

Chris Jericho hasn’t competed inside a WWE in over half a year, but the former WWE Undisputed Champion could be back very soon.

According to a report from PWInsider, WWE is reportedly trying to bring in “Y2J” for the April 27 house show in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, where he’d compete in the 50-man “Greatest Royal Rumble” main event.

Jericho’s appearances in WWE have been sparse over the past year. After defeating Kevin Owens to win the United States Championship at the Payback pay-per-view in April 2017, Jericho made the leap to the SmackDown Live roster, only to drop the title two nights later and be attacked by Owens after the match, giving him a kayfabe injury excuse to go back on tour with his rock band Fozzy.

He then went on to make a surprise return to New Japan Pro Wrestling that November, though he assured in interviews afterwards that the WWE was well aware of his jump to the Japanese wrestling promotion.

He went on to be in the co-main event of New Japan’s equivalent of WrestleMania, WrestleKingdom 12, and put on a five-star rated No Disqualification match against Kenny Omega.

The day after losing at WrestleKingdom, Jericho attacked one of New Japan’s biggest names in Tetsuya Naito, presumably setting up a match for those two down the line. However, Jericho hasn’t been at a New Japan event since, and he made a surprise cameo at the Raw 25 event back on Jan. 22, where he put Elias on “The List” in a backstage segment.

Jericho responded to a fan in March asking him if he was done with New Japan by saying “Unfortunately yes.” But knowing Jericho’s ability to surprise wrestling fans, this could all be misdirection.

Jericho said in an interview with Jim Ross back in November that he was still very much a company man for WWE, despite having multiple business ventures outside the promotion.

“You know how smart I am throughout my career, and you know the relationship I have with Vince, and I would never jeopardize that, or give him any nasty surprises,” Jericho said. “So, I’ll leave it at that.”

“I think in the back of his mind, no matter how much wrestling fans sometimes like to lionize Vince… think that he’s this big, evil, manipulative guy, I think he appreciates when the business is healthy he knows that it’s better for his business as well,” Jericho continued. “So for Chris Jericho to go to New Japan, everybody knows that I’m a WWE guy. It’s just the way it is, I have been for 17 years. Bu this is a once in a lifetime dream match per se with a lot of money at stake. And for me to not to pursue that I thought would’ve been a crime and I think Vince is the same way.”

One of Jericho’s other ventures includes the upcoming Chris Jericho Rock ‘n Wrestling Rager at Sea cruise, which features a number of wrestlers from both New Japan and Ring of Honor including Omega, The Young Bucks, Cody Rhodes, Jay Lethal as well as wrestling legends like Mick Foley, Diamond Dallas Page, Jim Ross, Jerry Lawler and Ricky “The Dragon” Steamboat.