"Better start that clock countdown," "FREE AT LAST" - Fans erupt after Corey Graves seemingly drops a Chris Jericho reference on WWE RAW

WWE commentator Corey Graves evidently referenced former AEW World Champion Chris Jericho during the latest episode of RAW. Fans are now reacting to the fact, in light of rumors about Y2J's possible return to the sports entertainment juggernaut.

Some time earlier, it was noted that Chris Jericho had liked a social media post that claimed that The Learning Tree's contract with All Elite Wrestling is set to expire by the end of this year, which would free up the veteran for a future WWE comeback. It was later reported that people in the Stamford-based company were interested in bringing the former Undisputed Champion back to his old stomping grounds.

Interestingly, on the latest episode of Monday Night RAW, announcer Corey Graves seemingly dropped an allusion to The Nueve by using the phrase "The Learning Tree," which could have referenced Jericho's latest AEW gimmick.

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Fans quickly flocked to X/Twitter to share their reactions to Graves teasing Chris Jericho's WWE return on RAW. Users pointed out potential allusions to The Ayatollah of Rock 'N' Rolla, including references to his old AEW theme song "Judas," as well as the iconic "List of Jericho" from his previous run in the World Wrestling Entertainment. Others discussed how the promotion had similarly foreshadowed Cody Rhodes' comeback years ago.

Many expect Jericho to make his return to sports entertainment juggernaut as a participant in the 2026 Men's Royal Rumble.

Bully Ray's pitch for Chris Jericho's WWE comeback

Speculations regarding Chris Jericho's prospective World Wrestling Entertainment return have been making the rounds on social media lately. As fans debate what kind of storyline or program the promotion might have in store for the legend, wrestling veteran Bully Ray came up with an idea himself on a recent episode of Busted Open. He argued that Jericho should work with fan-favorite LA Knight, stating:

“You just want Chris Jericho to retire because he’s going to be 55 and work behind the scenes. I’m sorry. I just don’t. I would bring Chris Jericho back to the WWE just to work with LA Knight. If you told me that that was the only thing he was going to do for one year, that’s good enough a reason alone.” [H/T - Wrestling News]

It remains to be seen what the future holds for Chris Jericho in the pro wrestling industry.

About the author

Anurag is an AEW writer for Sportskeeda Wrestling. He holds a BA and MA degree in English along with a TEFL certification to teach English. Before Sportskeeda, he worked as a Content and Correspondence writer at Nayabad Titas, a theater group. He has also worked as a English language tutor.

To ensure complete accuracy, he uses internet resources, social media platforms, and especially pieces composed by his peers to find solid, verified information that he presents as objectively as possible. Thanks to his academic background, he can research different subjects thoroughly.

Anurag's interest in wrestling began as a child. He watched RAW and Smackdown frequently from age 10 or 11 and was officially hooked by the YES Movement story in WWE heading into WrestleMania 30.

As a lifelong wrestling fan and lover of stories, Anurag would read news, articles, and other content about the talent and events he enjoyed watching. His understanding of the business continued to grow with time, and his interest in the art and sport of wrestling led him to pursue a career as a writer.

Apart from writing, he loves to read books, watch movies and television programs, play and listen to music, and write poetry and fiction.

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Edited by Anurag Mukherjee