The WWE Might've Dropped A Clue That Chris Jericho Is Returning, And I'm So Excited

Wrestlers come and go from the WWE all of the time, and on the heels of the company losing Karrion Kross and releasing notable names like Braun Strowman earlier in the year, they may be getting a major superstar back. There are heavy rumors that Chris Jericho will return to the brand now that his time at AEW is almost over. I haven't given the rumors much attention up until this clue, but now I'm starting to believe after seeing what occurred before a recent SmackDown.

I wasn't going to be surprised if Y2J was going to pop up at upcoming WWE events once his contract was up, but I also wondered if there was actual interest in bringing back the 54-year-old wrestler, considering he's closer to the end of his career than he is his prime. Well, it would seem there are efforts being made to hype up crowds and remind them of the legend, based on the company blaring his theme song outside of the recent SmackDown in Lyon, France. Take a listen:

I guess I shouldn't be that surprised that the WWE wants Chris Jericho back, regardless of his age or current abilities in the ring. He brought so much legitimacy to AEW when he joined it, becoming one of the most influential WWE stars to join Tony Khan's wrestling organization. I'm sure there's talk of setting up a retirement run, or maybe him stepping into more of a managerial role.

What I can't imagine is that the WWE wants Jericho back to be a top talent, as there are far too many talented guys on the roster currently who don't get enough screen time week to week. He's an obvious Hall of Famer in the pro wrestling business, and I'm not even sure he'd be the fifteenth best guy on the roster if he came back. If he's coming back and expecting to be at the top of the roster, he's in for a rude awakening.

That said, I think that Chris Jericho likely has some awareness of where he's at as a performer and what he'd like to do in a return run. Plus, he's doing a lot of movies as of late, like Dark Match, and had a role in the Terrifier movies. If he's hoping to stay involved in Hollywood and take on more roles, it may benefit him to have the schedule of a midcarder where he can slide in and out of the lineup in order to pursue other gigs.

It's also worth noting that the WWE is being a lot more flexible about where it wants to send superstars. We have a chunk of superstars showing up in TNA, and others even working in AAA over in Mexico. I think it's entirely possible Jericho could be coming back to ultimately have some role at one of those other outfits, and help build up storylines over in those companies. I'm assuming we won't know what the plan is until his contract with AEW ends, which is allegedly happening at the end of the year.

Until then, continue to enjoy SmackDown on USA on Fridays. Monday Night Raw, of course, streams on Netflix on Mondays, and both are churning out some great matches, so make sure to tune in to both shows.