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It took ten years, but AJ Lee is finally back in a WWE ring. The three-time Divas Champion made her long-awaited return on the September 5 edition of SmackDown, stepping out in her hometown of Chicago to stand alongside her husband CM Punk. The electric moment sent the crowd into a craziness as Lee targeted Becky Lynch, forcing the Women’s Intercontinental Champion to retreat after a series of sharp strikes.
Lee’s comeback could not have been timed more perfectly. Punk has been locked in a bitter rivalry with Seth Rollins, who cashed in his Money in the Bank contract at SummerSlam to snatch the World Heavyweight Championship from Punk. Their feud intensified in Paris when Punk was robbed of another chance at gold after Lynch interfered to help Rollins retain during a fatal four-way. On Raw just days later, Lynch openly mocked Punk before slapping him in the middle of the ring. Punk hinted at a surprise on SmackDown, but few could have predicted it would be the return of his wife.
AJ Lee’s return has accumulated ~130 MILLION views across WWE social platforms in the first 24 hours.
The seeds are now planted for a blockbuster showdown. WWE is expected to book Lee and Punk in a mixed tag match against Rollins and Lynch at WrestlePalooza on September 20. The event, which will be the first premium live special streamed on ESPN, is shaping up to be one of the year’s most anticipated cards.
Who is AJ Lee?
For fans who came to WWE after her retirement, AJ Lee was one of the most popular performers of the early 2010s. Known for her unpredictable persona, sharp promo work, and trademark skip, Lee held the Divas Championship three times, tying the record for most reigns with the title. Her run was relatively short but unforgettable. After competing at WrestleMania 31 in 2015, she wrestled her final match on Raw the following night before officially retiring that April due to cervical spine injuries.
AJ Lee has signed a multi-year deal with WWE on a full time basis.
Though she left the ring, Lee never strayed far from the industry. She became an author, releasing her best-selling memoir Crazy Is My Superpower, and served as an executive producer for Women of Wrestling between 2021 and 2023. Fans also caught her returning to the squared circle in a scripted sense when she appeared on the wrestling drama Heels.
Now, with her husband back in WWE since 2023, Lee’s reemergence feels like the perfect full-circle moment. If her return at SmackDown is any indication, the wrestling world is about to see AJ Lee shine once again, this time in a high-stakes rivalry that brings her face-to-face with one of WWE’s biggest power couples.
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