Few would argue with Chris Jericho’s legendary status in WWE: an icon of the Attitude Era and a six-time company world champion, his spot in their Hall of Fame is all but guaranteed.
Since leaving WWE in 2019, his career has experienced a second life — but a return to the company still feels inevitable at some point.
If that return happens while he’s still active in the ring, the question becomes: who does he face?
Below are some intriguing options for Jericho’s WWE return opponent.
6. GUNTHER
If Chris Jericho returned to WWE, we could see a first-time match between him and GUNTHER.
This is a bout that has “dream match” written all over it.
While Jericho is no longer the athlete he once was, this could be a brutal battle — akin to the two acclaimed matches he had with New Japan Pro Wrestling’s Tomohiro Ishii on Dynamite – a war of attrition built around heavy strikes.
Could we one day see this dream match in a WWE ring?
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5. Kevin Owens
If Jericho returned to WWE, there would arguably be no more fitting a first opponent than his former partner Kevin Owens.
One of the most entertaining acts of the later years of the McMahon era, the pair had incredible chemistry as both a team and opponents.
They last shared a ring in July 2017, but will they ever share it again?
Aside from the stumbling block of Jericho currently being outside WWE, Owens’ significant neck injury could prevent it from happening.
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4. Dragon Lee
Among the best of late-stage Chris Jericho matches have come against luchador Bandido.
The pair have had a trilogy of outstanding bouts in AEW.
Given Jericho’s extensive history in Mexico, it’s perhaps no surprise he continues to thrive working with talented luchadors.
With that in mind, WWE’s underutilised and highly talented luchador Dragon Lee would make an optimal first opponent for Jericho — a match that could finally spotlight the 30-year-old, who has lacked direction since debuting on the main roster in 2023.
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3. Chad Gable
In addition to his run at the top of the card in AEW, one of the things Jericho has consistently done is give rising stars the rub — from Orange Cassidy to MJF to Hook.
Chad Gable is someone who could use that same rub in WWE.
Gable is a supremely talented worker who could certainly be counted on to have a great match with Jericho.
A victory over a legend like Jericho, in his potential first match back with the company, could help push Gable into the upper tier of the WWE card.
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2. Bron Breakker
Bron Breakker being paired with Paul Heyman is a clear sign that WWE sees him as “the guy”.
Heyman’s own “spoiler” that Breakker will soon headline WrestleMania certainly seems like an inevitability.
For this reason, defeating a legendary figure like Jericho would only add to his undeniability in the eyes of the fans.
Recent years have shown that Jericho can still deliver at a high level when it counts — so there is every reason to believe this pairing could deliver an outstanding PLE main event.
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1. Dominik Mysterio
Chris Jericho and Rey Mysterio had one of WCW’s standout in-ring rivalries, trading the Cruiserweight Championship back and forth — a feud they reignited over a decade later in WWE, this time over the Intercontinental Title.
Given that long and storied history, it would feel poignant for Jericho’s first match back in WWE to be against the current Intercontinental Champion: Dominik Mysterio.
While it wouldn’t be a workrate classic, the kind that Jericho and Rey put on in 1997, it could be an entertaining bout that plays heavily on nostalgia and shared history.
Given Dominik’s popularity — even as a heel — and the connection to his father’s legendary feud, “Dirty Dom” vs. Chris Jericho could be the perfect first match back in WWE.
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