Chris Jericho is one of the most iconic names in the world of professional wrestling and things have been hot around him lately. The 55-year-old has been the talking point among fans in recent times as his AEW contract is reported to expire by the end of this year. Rumors have been swirling that Jericho is set to make a blockbuster return in WWE next year.His cryptic radio appearance on WBSM, declaring, "I'm not done yet... you'll see me in 2026 in a wrestling ring somewhere," only added fuel to those flames. Amid this, various media outlets reported that WWE has offered Y2J a lucrative deal for a retirement storyline. Therefore, all signs point to the possibility that The Painmaker's WWE return is imminent.Here are three ways Chris Jericho can return to WWE:#3. Surprise entrance in the 2026 Men's Royal RumbleNext year's Royal Rumble is set to be one of the biggest editions of Royal Rumble in WWE's history. The annual event will take place in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for the first time and there is a high chance Chris Jericho could return there. The 55-year-old could show up as a surprise entrant in the Men's Royal Rumble match to a thunderous reception from the crowd.Over the past, Royal Rumble has been the stage for some monumental returns and there couldn't be any better stage for Jericho to return home. WWE could bring him back at the annual event and incorporate him into the storylines for WrestleMania 42 season. A return at the Rumble would not only be impactful but would also become the biggest highlight of the night.#2. Reveal himself as Survivor Series' masked manOne of the possible ways Chris Jericho could return to WWE is by revealing himself as CM Punk's mystery attacker. At Survivor Series, a hooded man entered the cage during the Men's WarGames and delivered a curb stomp on The Best in the World. The company could stretch this storyline to next year to eventually reveal Y2J as the masked superstar.Jericho and Punk have a storied history in pro wrestling, spanning over a decade. Therefore, WWE could link the mystery attacker storyline to this to sow the seeds of a blockbuster feud for the World Heavyweight Championship. The AEW star could show up on an epsiode of RAW next year and unleash a brutal attack on CM Punk, revealing himself as Chris Jericho.#1. Cumulative vignettes and teasers leading to Chris Jericho's returnOne of the best potential ways Chris Jericho can return to WWE is through weeks of teasers. WWE is known for dropping Easter eggs for superstars whose return is on the horizon and CM Punk's homecoming is the prime example of it. This has been the most efficient way to build hype and anticipation around a star whose homecoming is around the corner.Therefore, WWE can showcase cryptic vignettes on weekly shows, leaving fans with multiple theories. The cumulative teasers could eventually lead to Jericho's highly anticipated return next year, similar to his 2012 return in WWE. This will not only keep the hype around him hot throughout the period but will also give rise to thunderous buzz when Y2J actually returns.