Chris Jericho has confirmed what many fans long suspected — AEW made a serious push to sign AJ Styles at some point when his WWE contract was expiring. Speaking with GamesHub, Jericho addressed the question of whether Styles could have been a fit in AEW and revealed the promotion’s pursuit of The Phenomenal One was very real.
“There was a time when we were going after him when his contract was up. Could he be a good fit? Of course, he would be. AJ’s a great performer and a great guy,” Jericho said. Styles ultimately re-signed with WWE and went on to retire at the 2026 Royal Rumble, where GUNTHER defeated him in his final match.
Chris Jericho Questions Why a Wrestler Would Retire in One Place and Move Immediately to Another
Jericho also offered a thoughtful take on why the transition from WWE to AEW isn’t always straightforward for long-tenured performers. “There is something to be said for the fact that when you’ve worked in the Vince McMahon system for a long time, you think differently. There are ways WWE runs their company, and there are ways AEW runs theirs.” He added a line that speaks to the broader question of post-retirement decisions. “I’m not going to speak for AJ, but I don’t know why you’d retire in one place and then immediately go somewhere else. That said, I’m sure it’s always a possibility.” With Styles now in the 2026 WWE Hall of Fame class and working as a scout, the window for an AEW run appears to have closed — but Jericho’s confirmation that the pursuit happened is a fascinating footnote in both men’s careers.
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