WWE lit up the rumor mill ahead of the January 5, 2026 episode of Monday Night RAW with a not-so-subtle reference to Chris Jericho—but it turns out the speculation was just that.
According PWInsider, Chris Jericho was never scheduled to appear on RAW, and despite WWE’s cryptic language, the former world champion was nowhere near New York City during the live Netflix broadcast. In fact, Jericho wasn’t even on the East Coast.
“PWInsider.com is told Jericho was never slated for the show and is actually in Los Angeles this week,” the outlet reported.
The buzz started when RAW General Manager Adam Pearce hyped up the show by saying:
“There are also three massive championship matches on the card. Who will break down the walls and walk out with gold?”
As everyone knows, the phrase “break down the walls” is synonymous with Jericho’s legendary WWE entrance, and many fans immediately took it as a hint toward a surprise return—especially with reports suggesting Jericho’s AEW contract expired on December 31, 2025. However, PWInsider clarified the line was a thematic nod to Netflix’s Stranger Things, not a Jericho tease:
“For those who were incorrectly piecing Adam Pearce making a reference to breaking walls down, given tonight was a Stranger Things crossover-themed episode, that was obviously a smartly played reference to that series having the wall into the Upside Down dimension.”
While fans took the bait, multiple sources within WWE maintained that no one expected Jericho to appear, and he “wasn’t” backstage in any capacity.
Jericho, who hasn’t appeared on AEW TV since April 2025 and skipped Worlds End on December 31, did nothing to calm the rumors either. During a recent YouTube livestream, he responded to WWE speculation with a simple: “You never know. You never know.” But for now, it appears the walls remain unbroken, and Chris Jericho’s name won’t be appearing on a WWE marquee just yet.
Were you fooled by the tease, or did you see through the “Break the Walls” reference? Should Jericho return to WWE in 2026? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
