AEW legend to return to WWE and face AJ Styles in a double retirement match in 2026? Exploring why it’s possible 

WWE legend, AJ Styles, has already stated that he plans to retire next year, in 2026. The Phenomenal said that he knows he's getting old, and he doesn't want to embarrass himself further by wrestling beyond a particular age. There are also rumors that WWE could set up a retirement tour for Styles, just like they did for John Cena.

And if that's the case, then Styles shall not be alone in this retirement tour. One of his former rivals, and someone with whom he worked very closely in the initial stages of his WWE career, can also join him. He's none other than Chris Jericho.

The wrestling legend has been working with All Elite Wrestling since 2019, and his contract is up for expiry this December. Jericho hasn't been seen on television for the past few months, and there are strong rumors that he may return to WWE soon.

While he is already past his prime, the 54-year-old superstar can also be given a retirement tour by the company. Jericho can wrestle with a few superstars on the roster in his retirement tour, and his last encounter could be against the legend, AJ Styles.

It was Chris Jericho with whom The Phenomenal had a storied rivalry in 2016 when he made his WWE debut. The two went on to face each other in a few matches, with Styles beating Jericho at Fastlane in 2016. Soon, they formed a tag team which came to be called Y2AJ. They competed against The New Day in two non-title matches, beating the duo. However, Styles and Jericho couldn't win the tag team titles.

Soon, Jericho turned on Styles, and the two went on to clash at WrestleMania 32, with the Y2J star emerging victorious. That was the last big clash between the two legends. After this, Styles teamed up with his former mates, Luke Gallows and Karl Anderson, while Jericho moved in with a storyline with Kevin Owens.

The company could once again reignite this old rivalry by getting Chris Jericho back. The two superstars could face each other in a double retirement match by the end of 2026, and then in 2027, the two legends could be inducted into the Hall of Fame.

What has Chris Jericho said about his WWE return?

It's well-known that Jericho left the Stamford-based promotion in 2017 after having some serious creative differences with Vince McMahon. For a long time, he maintained that AEW was the best place for wrestling, indicating that he never plans to return to the Stamford-based promotion.

However, things have changed now, and Triple H is the head of creatives. He has brought in several superstars who had issues with the former management. CM Punk and Cody Rhodes are the two best examples. Hunter can therefore also bring Jericho back for a special run.

The Lionheart has, in the past, also addressed rumors of his return to the Stamford-based promotion. While speaking on the Daily Mail, sometime back, Jericho stated that while he is with AEW now, he isn't opposed to returning to WWE.

“The best thing that can happen to wrestling is AEW, and the fact that there are two huge promotions that you can choose from just makes it better for the guys, makes it better for the fans, and everybody in between. I’m not going anywhere for a long while. I’m still with AEW for right now. Would I go back to WWE? I wouldn’t be opposed to it. We just have to see what happens," he said.

It remains to be seen if the former WWE Champion will mark his return for a final run.