Chris Jericho Will Return To WWE For Tour Of Japan Next Week, How Long Is Y2J Expected To Stick Around?
Chris Jericho has not been featured on WWE programming since losing the United States Championship to Kevin Owens during the post-Payback edition of SmackDown Live. The WWE Universe was unhappy about his run with the company finally ending, but there were rumors about it for months. His departure date was pushed back many times, but the fans already miss Y2J’s presence on WWE television after only a month.
There has been some speculation regarding his return to the ring after his tour dates with Fozzy are over. It was recently reported that Jericho could make his WWE return sooner than most fans were expecting. As of this writing, he doesn’t have any tour dates with his band until the fall, so it’s possible that he could be back on SmackDown Live at any time if he wants to wrestle, especially since he’s returning to the ring next week.
It’s being reported that Chris Jericho will be returning to WWE for the tour of Japan next week. Some fans are going to misunderstand this news because Y2J will be returning for a few shows, but his return to WWE television hasn’t been confirmed. Jericho is still a huge draw overseas and in Japan, so WWE officials likely asked him to appear during the shows next week, but it’s unlikely going to lead to his return to SmackDown.
On Friday, Chris Jericho will be wrestling Hideo Itami during the event. The majority of the WWE Universe won’t get to see that match, which is a shame because it’s an interesting matchup. Since the show will be in Japan, Itami is expected to get the victory over Jericho. He’s also expected to wrestle the next night for the second tour date, but his opponent for that match hasn’t been revealed yet. It will likely be announced soon.
The WWE Universe will be disappointed to learn that Chris Jericho is getting back into the ring for a couple of live events in Japan and not returning to SmackDown Live. Y2J has gone on record to say he’d be fine to only do house shows for the rest of his wrestling career. It’s unlikely that it what will happen, but the thing is that Jericho is more interested in helping out the roster and the company than he is in getting over on TV.
Jericho’s return to SmackDown Live may not happen this year at all. The WWE Universe is hoping that isn’t the case, but the fans understand that he needs some time off for his health and other commitments. There is comfort in the fact that Jericho is still wrestling and hasn’t put away the wrestling boots, which means his return to WWE programming is just a matter of when and not if.
[Featured Image by WWE]
