On the April 1 episode of AEW Dynamite, Chris Jericho made his return to All Elite Wrestling for the first time in a year.
After a lengthy hiatus, it remains to be seen what will be Jericho’s first opponent back in the promotion.
Jericho coming back and feuding with one of the many talented names on the AEW roster will be interesting to watch unfold whether it happens on Dynamite, Collision or a pay-per-view.
Here are eight potential Chris Jericho first AEW opponents after his return.
8. Kenny Omega
When Chris Jericho made his return to AEW, he interrupted what was going to be the MJF vs. Kenny Omega AEW World Title Dynasty contract signing.
This could have been a red herring to allude to what will be his first rivalry back in All Elite Wrestling.
All the way back at AEW Double Or Nothing 2019, Jericho avenged his loss to Omega from NJPW Wrestle Kingdom 12 by defeating “The Cleaner” to earn the right to become the first AEW World Champion.
Now seven years later, Jericho could rekindle this rivalry and both men have the chance to prove who is the better man once and for all.
7. Jack Perry
Another AEW star who was one of Chris Jericho’s first rivals and opponents during the early days of the promotion was Jack Perry.
Back in December 2019, Jericho and Perry faced off in a 10-minute time limit match that saw the former Jungle Boy take the then-AEW World Champion to the limit.
Now all these years later, Perry has grown into his own man as a former TNT Champion, AEW World Tag Team Champion and the current National Champion.
Jericho returning could see him wanting some gold and to put the National Title on the map by taking the gold from Perry.
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6. Ricochet
Speaking of the AEW National Championship, the inaugural champion was Ricochet and helped to establish the new title with his first reign.
Since arriving in All Elite Wrestling in 2024, Ricochet has been someone who has been consistently featured and highlighted in a different way than he has in the past.
Whether it be his time in WWE or his current run in AEW, Ricochet has never interacted or faced off with Chris Jericho in his career.
Ricochet facing Jericho would be a fresh rivalry that could spotlight both men and their different personas.
5. Kyle Fletcher
Kyle Fletcher has faced Chris Jericho back in 2024, but a lot has changed since this initial battle against one another.
In the past two years, Fletcher has emerged as one of the best wrestlers in AEW and the world today.
Now the current and two-time TNT Champion, “The Protostar” could want to add Jericho’s name to a growing list of top stars he has been able to beat during his time in All Elite Wrestling.
Jericho wanting some gold to add to his legendary resume is a logical direction to go and see him try to beat Fletcher for the TNT Title upon his return.
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4. Andrade El Idolo
Another returning AEW star in 2026 has been Andrade El Idolo, who came back in January.
Now officially a member of the Don Callis Family, Andrade has cemented his name among the best wrestlers in the world today.
Considering his own history with Callis over the last four decades, there is plenty of story to tell between Jericho and El Idolo.
After wins over Kenny Omega and Swerve Strickland in recent months, Andrade could add yet another former AEW World Champion to his list of vanquished opponents.
3. Brody King
When looking at the AEW roster, there might not be anybody who has gained more momentum in 2026 than Brody King.
After establishing himself as an accomplished and successful tag team performer alongside Bandido, King has started to find similar success in singles competition.
Brody has been on a roll that could continue if he is placed in a feud with a legend like Chris Jericho.
Wanting to shut down the rise of a potential new top star, Jericho could see Brody as a threat to his spot on the AEW roster.
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2. “Hangman” Adam Page
Back at AEW All Out 2019, Chris Jericho defeated “Hangman” Adam Page to become the inaugural AEW World Champion.
This loss led to Page going down a path that saw him starting to drink, but at the same time, becoming more popular with the AEW fanbase along the way.
More recently, Page lost to MJF in a Texas Death Match for the AEW World Title at Revolution 2026. Following this loss, “Hangman” can no longer challenge for the top prize in All Elite Wrestling for as long as he lives.
With it being nearly seven years since their first and only meeting, Page’s road to redemption might have to go to the man who caused his first fall in AEW with Chris Jericho.
1. Swerve Strickland
There isn’t a ton of fresh matchups with the top tier talent on the AEW roster that is available to Chris Jericho.
However, Swerve Strickland is someone who has been firmly entrenched in the main event picture in All Elite Wrestling over the past few years.
Despite his presence as a top star, Strickland has never faced Jericho in a singles match inside an AEW ring.
Jericho’s return could draw the ire of Swerve, who could see this as a slight or disrespect towards the former AEW World Champion to lead to some one-on-one action against one another.
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