Chris Jericho on AEW Collision Lee South - All Elite Wrestling

Chris Jericho Addresses Ageism In Pro Wrestling And Music

Originally posted on Wrestling on SI | By Jeff Scott | Last updated Jan 24, 2026 11:51 AM ET

Despite being 55, Chris Jericho still seems to have a lot he wants to accomplish. And he's got a message for all those who may use his age to doubt him.

In a recent interview with Soundsphere Magazine, Jericho was asked about the ability to achieve his goals past a certain age as both a musician and wrestler.

“It’s never too late. Ageism does exist, and you can’t worry about it. Your age is your age, but you can’t worry about it, it’s not a death sentence to be in your 50s, right or your 60s and 70s, there’s still time to do things.

He continued, "Maybe you’re not going to have a career like The Rolling Stones, but you can still do it – write a song, record a song, audition for parts – all that stuff you can still do! The biggest detriment to success that we have is ourselves! Why not (do it)? Someone’s got to do it, so why don’t you?”

Lee South - All Elite Wrestling

Jericho hasn't been in the ring since he lost the Ring of Honor World Championship to Bandido at AEW Dynasty in April. However, he's still quite active with his rock band Fozzy. The group is poised to perform at the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM) in Anaheim, California this weekend.

Fozzy's appearance at NAMM essentially eliminates him from making a surprise appearance at Saturday Night's Main Event this weekend. Both shows will be taking place in Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

Is Chris Jericho coming back to WWE?

Despite Y2J's age, the first-ever Undisputed WWE Champion is heavily rumored to be making a return to WWE. It's unclear what Jericho's current contract status is with AEW. Variety reported in April that his contract would expire in October 2025. Later, it was reported that it expired at the end of 2025. This led to rumors that Jericho may appear at the first Raw of 2026, which, of course, didn't pan out.

In Chris Jericho is indeed planning to make a return to WWE, the most obvious debut at this point would be Saturday, January 31st in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This, of course, is the date and venue of the 2026 Royal Rumble.

If fans were to hear "Break the Walls Down" hit the speakers at some point during the 30-man bout, it would be an incredible moment.

This article first appeared on Wrestling on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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