Private jet and hotel lockdown kept Winnipeg comeback under wraps
Summary
– Chris Jericho revealed his AEW return was planned months in advance
– He flew into Winnipeg privately and avoided being seen before the show
– Jericho waited in a car until seconds before making his surprise return
Chris Jericho’s AEW return in Winnipeg was kept quiet through a full secret-mission approach.
While speaking with Renee Paquette, Jericho said his comeback had been planned for months. AEW had the return mapped out, but making it work meant keeping him hidden until the last possible moment.
“I mean it obviously we planned it for a while so it was kind of months in the making. And I actually flew in on a private jet the night before cuz I didn’t want anybody to see me.”
Jericho did not just arrive quietly and relax backstage. He said he spent almost an entire day in his hotel room so no one would know he was in town.
“I basically sat in the room for almost 24 hours. I didn’t see any of my friends. I didn’t even tell any of my friends that I was there. One of my best friends was there, he flew in from Las Vegas for the show. He didn’t even know I was going to be there.”
That level of secrecy included avoiding people close to him. Jericho wanted the return to stay protected from leaks, even if that meant not telling friends who were already in Winnipeg.
He also refused to leave anything to chance before showtime. Jericho said he avoided the hotel elevator because he was worried even a small delay could ruin the timing.
“I didn’t even take the elevator down to the lobby because it was literally 15 minutes before. I was like, ‘If this elevator gets stuck, I’m going to miss it.’ So I ran down the stairs. Everything, I was not going to let anything to chance.”
The final stretch was just as controlled. Jericho waited in a car outside the building, only moving when it was almost time to appear.
“I waited in the car till 30 seconds before. I got out of the car and walked right into the room.”
His return came after Tony Khan confirmed that Jericho had signed a new multi-year deal with AEW. Khan did not reveal the terms, but he said Jericho had options and still chose to stay.
Jericho also explained why he kept his return promo short. He said he learned in WWE that sometimes a moment does not need much talking.
“It was something that I had learned in WWE where sometimes you don’t have to say a lot. That’s why my promo was like two words. Why throw everything out at once? You got the initial pop of being back on the show. Let’s leave it and then explain more the following week.”
The return worked because Jericho treated it like something worth protecting. He flew private, hid from friends, skipped the elevator, waited in a car, and walked in seconds before the reveal.
AEW got the surprise it wanted, and Jericho made sure the moment landed without warning.
