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Jericho Talks WWE Return; Styles Tweets Undertaker; Ryback on Nexus Reunion
June 22, 2020
Bleacher Report catches you up on the latest news from WWE and AEW.
Jericho Says He Won't Return for One-Off in WWE
Chris Jericho is currently enjoying his latest reinvention as the leader of The Inner Circle in AEW, but he left WWE on good terms and spent nearly two decades with the company. So it's only natural some fans are wondering if he'd ever be open to a one-off appearance.
The answer: not anytime soon.
"A, I can't, I'm still under contract for the next little while," Jericho said on his Saturday Night Special Q&A with fans. "B, I don't think I would be into doing a one-out, a one-off for anybody, especially WWE. I hope to be with AEW for a long, long, long time. So I hope that answers your question."
Jericho signed a three-year contract with AEW last year. That would ostensibly keep him in AEW through the 2021 calendar year, at a time he'd be 51 years old. It's unclear how much longer Jericho plans to continue in the ring—it'd be hard to find many 49-year-olds who could still go at his rate in wrestling history—but the sun is certainly setting on his career.
Assuming AEW continues being a success, it wouldn't be a surprise if Jericho finished his career with the promotion as one of its foundational pieces.
AJ Styles 'Honored' to be Part of Undertaker's (Likely) Final Match
The Undertaker semi-formally announced his retirement from professional wrestling in Sunday's final installment of The Last Dance—albeit one with a caveat about a potential return.
"It was a perfect moment. You don't necessarily always get those. If there was ever a perfect ending to a career, that right there was it," Undertaker said in the documentary. "It's time this cowboy really rides away. I can do more good outside the ring than I can inside. I'm finally at a place where I can accept that."
Undertaker said he may be persuaded to return if Vince McMahon is in a pinch, but it appears his Boneyard Match against AJ Styles will be his ride off into the sunset. Styles tweeted he was "honored" to be part of what may be Taker's last match:
If Taker is going out on the Boneyard, he's leaving on a high note. Many thought the cinematic match was the best of WrestleMania 36.
Ryback Has No Interest in WWE, Nexus Reunion
While Darren Young said WWE had plans to bring back Nexus for WrestleMania 36, it appears the actual plans were much smaller. Ryback said on his podcast the plan was only to bring the group back for Axxess, falling in line with what Stu Bennett had previously stated (h/t Wrestling Inc.):
"I talked to Stu a little bit about it. I'm not gonna be involved with anything with them. If that was going to happen, it's not going to involve me at all with everything going on right now, specifically with my 'Ryback' trademark, in August. We're waiting to see if they're gonna drop that or not. If not, we got to start that whole dispute with all that. From what was explained to me, it was just for Axxess signings.
"I think WWE low-balled the group, whoever was involved in different things. Whatever it was, it wasn't to bring the group back for an angle. That's not to say if they did bring them back and it got a great reception, they [wouldn't] do something to follow-up on RAW. If it was going well, maybe they would bring everyone back. That is a very real possibility, but what was explained to me was Axxess."
Ryback left WWE in 2016 and has not wrestled on the independent circuit since 2018, instead focusing on his podcast and other ventures. Stu Bennett, formerly known as Wade Barrett, also left the company in 2016 and has done work as a commentator and wrestler in various promotions.
Daniel Bryan, who lasted four days with the faction, is the only original member of Nexus remaining in WWE.