There has been much speculation in recent months about Chris Jericho returning to WWE – something that has only intensified in recent days after Jericho released the lineup for his latest Rock ‘N’ Wrestling Rager cruise – with not a single AEW wrestler included.
It appears that Jericho may indeed be heading back to his old stomping grounds.
The more interesting question, however, is what his booking plans will be when he does – and whether he’ll look to form yet another faction, as he consistently has throughout his AEW run.
Here are six WWE stars who could join a potential Chris Jericho-led stable.
6. Ricky Saints
Former AEW star Ricky Saints recently captured the NXT Championship, defeating Oba Femi at No Mercy last month.
However, the 35-year-old star is already more than ready for a spot on the WWE main roster.
One way to introduce the ultra-charismatic performer could be through an alliance with Chris Jericho.
Saints could be brought up and presented as Jericho’s protégé – only to eventually turn on him, leading to a heated feud between the two.
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5. Carmelo Hayes
A hallmark of Chris Jericho’s run in AEW was his alliance with Sammy Guevara, who joined him in multiple factions and often acted as his tag team partner.
Carmelo Hayes is someone who could play a similar role in WWE.
Hayes has just broken free from a middling tag team with The Miz, and after a feud he’ll likely come out on top of, he’ll need a fresh direction.
The talented 31-year-old has been underutilised since moving to the main roster two years ago – aligning him with Jericho would give him a significant spotlight and a compelling new direction.
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4. Ethan Page
There was talk over the summer of bringing current NXT North American Champion Ethan Page up to the WWE main roster, forming a Canadian-themed tag team with Chelsea Green.
This move, however, has not transpired.
He could instead be paired with another fellow Canadian, Chris Jericho, upon the legend’s long awaited return to the company.
A polished in-ring worker and a quintessentially unlikable heel, Page could shine as part of a heel Jericho faction.
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3. The New Day
The New Day’s heel turn earned significant plaudits last year.
However, in the year since their impactful and celebrated turn, they’ve not been featured prominently on WWE programming.
The duo haven’t wrestled on a PLE in six months, with their last bout coming at WrestleMania 41 in April.
Kofi Kingston and Xavier Woods remain top-tier in-ring workers and charismatic stars – placing them in a prominent heel group alongside Chris Jericho could give them a much-needed renewed spotlight.
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2. Oba Femi
During Chris Jericho’s AEW run, across his numerous factions, he has always had a big-man enforcer – in The Inner Circle and Jericho Appreciation Society, Jake Hager provided his muscle, while in The Learning Tree, it was Big Bill who enacted the role.
So, who could fill that role in WWE?
While there are several options, arguably the most talented up-and-coming big man in the company is former NXT Champion Oba Femi.
Femi has all the tools to become a major star in WWE, and aligning him with Jericho as his heater could set the stage for an eventual turn – with Femi breaking away, turning babyface, and realising his potential as a top star.
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1. Montez Ford
Recent months have seen The Street Profits tease a breakup – both in storyline on WWE SmackDown and through their respective social media channels.
Losing their shot at the WWE Tag Team Titles on the October 10 edition of SmackDown against The Wyatt Sicks, that breakup now appears imminent, but the question then becomes what’s next for Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins.
While both partners are talented performers, it was Ford who was touted several years ago as a potential future top star in the company.
Whether that actually happens for the 35-year-old remains to be seen, but placing him in a prominent faction alongside Chris Jericho could give him the opportunity to finally realise his potential.
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