Chris Jericho, a prominent AEW star, has been absent from wrestling since April of last year, despite his contract originally slated to end in December. Although his name remained on AEW’s official roster, fans anticipated his participation in this year’s Royal Rumble. However, recent developments revealed that Jericho’s contract was frozen once he began his Fozzy band tour, effectively extending his agreement throughout his time away.
Reports from Fightful.com indicate that Jericho’s deal was paused immediately after he left the Jacksonville-based promotion. This unusual move has raised concerns, as wrestlers today tend to avoid contracts with restrictive clauses. The freezing of his contract might signal potential complications for future signings within the wrestling industry.
Jericho recounts unsettling experiences during WWE heel tenure
Known as “The Demo God,” Chris Jericho earned notoriety as one of WWE’s top villains, stirring strong emotions among the audience with his promos and actions. On the podcast UNTAPPED, Jericho shared chilling incidents from his time portraying this antagonist character, explaining how deeply he immersed himself in his role.
“But I was really dropping into this character like a method actor, to the point where it was affecting me in real life…. I had this all encompassing evil attitude, and sometimes that rubs off in your real life. But that was years ago. I was fully committed to being this angry person because it’s all acting. You’re playing a character. I love that. I think it’s fascinating. At that point in time, I took it that far. People attacked me on the street a couple of times. I was fine with it then, but I wouldn’t want that now. For whatever reason, I was just super locked in. It was a two year period where I was the champion in the main event, wrestling all the good guys,” he said.
Uncertainty looms over Jericho’s future as WrestleMania approaches
With WrestleMania 42 rapidly approaching, speculation surrounds whether Jericho will make a return to WWE, as many fans hope. Yet, the frozen AEW contract and his ongoing Fozzy commitments complicate his status. The wrestling community now watches closely to see if “Le Champion” will resume his in-ring career or focus on other ventures. Jericho’s unique blend of wrestling talent and showmanship continues to captivate audiences, making his next move highly anticipated.
Are Big Bill and Bryan Keith finally standing up to Chris Jericho?!
Watch #AEWDynamite LIVE on TBS & MAX@IAmJericho | @TheCaZXL | @BountyKeith pic.twitter.com/U8XUdtX0aw
— All Elite Wrestling (@AEW) April 10, 2025
