A new report from WrestleVotes Radio has revealed the specific reason WWE is pushing aggressively for AJ Lee’s return to happen now. The company’s determination is reportedly centered on its upcoming WrestlePalooza show, which will be WWE’s debut broadcast on ESPN. According to the report, WWE believes Lee’s comeback will bring significant buzz to the product for this critical premiere. While WWE has reached out to Lee previously, this timing is being described as a “lucky coincidence” that has made the company determined to finalize a deal.
The company’s focus on its ESPN premiere helps clarify the timing of Lee’s long-speculated comeback, which reports indicate is set to begin tomorrow night.
AJ Lee is widely expected to make her return on the September 5, 2025, episode of WWE SmackDown in her and her husband CM Punk’s hometown of Chicago. That appearance will reportedly serve to officially set up a mixed tag team match for WrestlePalooza on September 20. The planned contest would see Lee team with Punk against the husband-and-wife duo of World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch.
The narrative for this matchup was established at the recent “Clash in Paris” event, where Becky Lynch interfered in the main event by delivering a low blow to CM Punk, allowing Seth Rollins to retain his championship. The storyline escalated on the subsequent episode of Raw when Lynch physically confronted Punk in the ring.
Speculation about Lee’s return was further intensified on September 2, when the official WWE Shop account on X posted a reply to a fan inquiry, stating, “With AJ Lee’s return to action, we hope to have some 🔥 gear ready in time for Wrestlepalooza”. The post was quickly deleted, but not before being captured by users online.
Should she return, it would mark Lee’s first match in nearly a decade. She retired from wrestling in March 2015 following WrestleMania 31, citing a permanent injury to her cervical spine. During her time in WWE, Lee was a three-time Divas Champion and is widely considered a foundational figure of the company’s “Women’s Revolution.”
While the immediate plan is reportedly the single match at WrestlePalooza, reports from Wrestling Observer Live indicate that WWE is hopeful to do more with Lee beyond this initial program.