AJ Lee made her return to WWE on the September 5 episode of SmackDown in Chicago, with the segment quickly amassing millions of views online. Her appearance at the AllState Arena went viral within 15 hours, fueled by WWE and Paul “Triple H” Levesque promoting clips across YouTube and X (formerly Twitter).
The return happened after WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch slapped CM Punk multiple times in the ring. Punk stated he wouldn’t retaliate against a woman but knew someone who would, which prompted Lee’s music to hit. She confronted Lynch, attacking her before leaving with the Women’s Intercontinental Championship belt.
This confrontation sets the stage for what comes next, as Lee is reportedly expected to appear on the upcoming Monday Night Raw, according to PWInsider. That appearance is slated to finalize a mixed tag team match for WWE WrestlePalooza on September 20, pitting Lee and Punk against Lynch and Seth Rollins.
The feud between the two couples escalated at Clash in Paris, where Lynch hit Punk with a low blow to help Rollins retain the World Heavyweight Championship. The week leading up to SmackDown also saw Lynch slap Punk on the September 1 edition of Raw, while Rollins cut a promo promising Punk would “d—” in his hometown of Chicago.
Solidifying her comeback, Lee has signed a full-time, multi-year contract with the company. WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque confirmed the signing by posting a video of it on X.
This marks a new chapter for Lee, whose last match in WWE was in March 2015, the night after WrestleMania 31. She had previously retired from in-ring competition, citing permanent damage to her cervical spine.