The women’s locker room in WWE is reportedly buzzing, with several roster members excited about the imminent return of AJ Lee. According to a report from Fightful Select, the excitement is well-founded, as Lee is currently planned to make her in-ring return at WrestlePalooza on September 20.
One veteran, who never had the chance to work with Lee, expressed shock at the development, noting that CM Punk would usually dismiss jokes about his wife returning. They felt, however, that Punk was simply being supportive of whatever Lee decided.
The plan, first noted by Bryan Alvarez and reiterated by Fightful Select, is not expected to be a one-off appearance. While WWE is happy to have her back for even a single match, the company is reportedly hopeful that this will lead to more involvement down the line. Following heavy teases at Clash in Paris and on Raw, sources also indicated to Fightful that an appearance or official announcement on this week’s SmackDown is highly likely.
This significant return appears to be a key part of WWE’s strategy for WrestlePalooza. The event is the first main roster premium live event on the new ESPN streaming platform and will go head-to-head with AEW All Out. To make a strong impression, WWE is reportedly stacking the card, with Lee’s return being a major component. The working plan for her match is a mixed tag team bout, pitting her and CM Punk against Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch.
Lee retired from in-ring competition back in 2015 because of a cervical spine issue and had, according to reports over the years, been largely uninterested in a return. Despite the long layoff, some within WWE are not concerned about potential ring rust, citing her husband’s successful comeback after his own lengthy absence.