Having been absent from All Elite Wrestling since shortly after AEW Dynasty 2025 in April, there have been rumors and reports about the future of former WWE star Chris Jericho in the company.
With his contract expiring at the end of 2025 and reported interest from WWE, it seems safe to say that fans could see Jericho back in his former home promotion sooner rather than later.
If he does make his return in 2026, Jericho could be in line for a spotlighted bout on “The Grandest Stage of Them All” for what may be his final WrestleMania appearance ever.
Here are nine potential Chris Jericho WWE WrestleMania 42 opponents.
9. Cody Rhodes
During their early time together in All Elite Wrestling, Chris Jericho and Cody Rhodes were embroiled in a noteworthy rivalry over the AEW World Title.
It was thanks to Jericho defeating “The American Nightmare” at AEW Full Gear 2019 that caused Rhodes to never get another shot at the top prize in the company.
Rekindling this rivalry in WWE, Rhodes and Jericho could restart things where they were left off six years ago.
Jericho returning to WWE could see him immediately position himself for the Undisputed WWE Championship and try to beat Rhodes for another top prize at WrestleMania 42.
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8. Sami Zayn
Another WWE star that has some history with Chris Jericho from his last stint with the company is Sami Zayn.
The two Canadians battled one another on several occasions during Jericho’s last run in the company.
Now nearly a decade since their last singles meeting, Zayn is much improved and could have what it takes to score a win over the legend at “The Show of Shows.”
Zayn scoring a huge victory over Jericho at WWE WrestleMania 42 would be a significant boost for him as he seeks to gain momentum and finally become a world champion.
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7. Ethan Page
With five months until WWE WrestleMania 42, there is a lot that could change before the company returns to Las Vegas for “The Showcase of the Immortals.”
One NXT star who has what it takes to wind up as a main roster star by the time the company gets to Mania is Ethan Page.
Now currently holding the NXT North American and AAA Mixed Tag Team Championships, Page has more than proven himself ready for the next stage of his career and would make for a formidable opponent for a legend like Chris Jericho.
Jericho battling an up-and-comer from NXT like Page would make for an intriguing battle and elevate “All Ego” shortly after his main roster callup at WWE WrestleMania 42.
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6. Jey Uso
2025 has been the biggest and most important year of Jey Uso’s career, winning the Men’s Royal Rumble Match and World Heavyweight Championship at WrestleMania 41.
After so much success to kick off 2025, the latter half of the year has seen Uso experience a conflict of conscience after several key losses.
Wanting to regain his momentum, Jey could be in line to face a living legend and former WWE Champion at WrestleMania 42 next year.
Jey being chosen to face Jericho would be a huge stamp of approval, showing the world how much the company values the former Bloodline member at WrestleMania 42.
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5. CM Punk
Ever since returning to WWE at Survivor Series 2023, CM Punk has solidified himself as one of the company’s top stars and currently holds the World Heavyweight Championship on Monday Night Raw.
Chris Jericho will look to follow in Punk’s footsteps by coming off a successful run and an unceremonious close to his stint in AEW and establish himself in WWE’s main event picture again.
With Jericho having more momentum than ever upon returning to WWE, the company would be wise to put him in the ring with a longtime rival who is also one of their world champions.
Jericho coming back to challenge Punk for the World Heavyweight Title would give WrestleMania 42 a potential headline bout that would put both men in a prominent spot on the card.
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4. Logan Paul
Logan Paul has gone from YouTube and social media megastar to a bonafide WWE star before our eyes.
Now currently aligned with The Vision on Raw, it feels like Paul has been more integrated than ever in the WWE landscape.
With Chris Jericho returning to the company, there might not be anyone on the roster that could get him some immediate attention and focus like feuding with Logan Paul.
Considering this is a battle of two ego-driven stars, Jericho and Paul could make for a compelling build and a potential showstealing bout on the WWE WrestleMania 42 card next year in Vegas.
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3. LA Knight
When rumors started circulating about Chris Jericho potentially returning to WWE, some fans started questioning which stars would benefit from a feud with the legend.
Among the names mentioned, LA Knight was prominently brought up as someone who could match up very well on the mic and in the ring with Jericho.
Considering Knight was recently written off of television, “The Megastar” could return to clash with the returning Jericho in 2026.
A potential Chris Jericho showdown would mark a very important match in the career of LA Knight and could change his fortune moving forward coming off the heels of WrestleMania 42.
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2. GUNTHER
On the December 13 edition of WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event, GUNTHER defeated John Cena in his final match.
After making the legend submit, GUNTHER went on to brag about his win and was greeted by universal boos from the crowd in attendance.
“The Ring General” has now retired both Goldberg and Cena in one calendar year and could lead to this becoming a central focus for the former World Heavyweight Champion.
With Chris Jericho potentially returning, it would be appropriate for the legend to clash with GUNTHER at WrestleMania 42 where his own career might be at risk against the dangerous competitor who finished two of Jericho’s great rivals.
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1. Dominik Mysterio
There is no denying coming off the heels of a breakout 2025 that no one is hotter in WWE today than Dominik Mysterio.
Currently holding the WWE Intercontinental and AAA Mega Championships, Mysterio is coming off one of the biggest victories of his career over John Cena in his final PLE match at WWE Survivor Series 2025.
With Liv Morgan and The Judgment Day by his side, Mysterio is more cocky than ever and could find himself in direct opposition to the most decorated Intercontinental Champion of all time in the new year.
If Chris Jericho returns, there might not be anyone more exciting for him to face than “Dirty Dom.” Based on both men’s personalities and their individual rivalries with Rey Mysterio, there could be a lot to play off heading into WWE WrestleMania 42.
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