Chris Jericho says his AEW return was months in the making, and he went to great lengths to make sure the moment stayed a surprise.

Speaking on Close Up with Renee Paquette, Jericho explained that the return had been planned for some time, with only Tony Khan and a small group of people aware ahead of time. Jericho said he flew in by private jet the night before the show to avoid being seen, then stayed away from the main TV hotel and remained in his room for nearly 24 hours.

Jericho said he did not tell any of his friends he was in town, including one of his best friends who had flown in from Las Vegas for the show. According to Jericho, the secrecy helped make the Winnipeg return feel even bigger.

Jericho also detailed how close he cut things on the night of the show. Rather than risk getting stuck in an elevator, he ran down the stairs from his hotel room 15 minutes before the segment. He then waited in a car outside until just seconds before making his entrance.

RD Evans, who Jericho said he had been working with creatively, picked him up and drove him to the area behind Gorilla position. Jericho said he stayed in the car until about 30 seconds before the moment, then got out, walked in, and went straight to the ring.

Jericho said the return was a “really cool moment,” especially with the show taking place in Winnipeg and almost nobody knowing ahead of time.

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H/T To WrestlingPurists for quote transcription.