As the wrestling industry anticipates the imminent WWE return of AJ Lee, attention is turning to how All Elite Wrestling might strategically respond. Speculation now centers on a potential plan to reintroduce one of its own cornerstone stars, Dr. Britt Baker, D.M.D., after a prolonged absence from television.
Baker has not appeared on AEW programming since November 2024. Reports indicate her time away from the ring is not due to any significant injury, leaving her status a topic of conversation following her last major program against Mercedes Moné.
The theoretical counter-move, as suggested by Sportskeeda, would see Baker make her return at AEW’s All Out. This appearance would be timed to coincide with the same weekend reports suggest AJ Lee will make her in-ring return for WWE at the Wrestlepalooza premium live event on September 20.
Under this scenario, Baker would not compete in a match. Instead, she would reportedly make a statement by confronting and attacking Toni Storm following Storm’s match, a move that would solidify Baker’s turn back into a heel—a role in which she previously thrived as AEW Women’s World Champion.
Such an angle would aim to create a significant shift in the AEW women’s division. A heel Britt Baker could form new alliances and would immediately set the stage for a high-profile feud with Storm, potentially culminating in a hardcore match designed to draw focus to the division.
This potential AEW strategy comes as Lee’s WWE comeback is considered a “forgone conclusion” within the industry. Reports suggest Lee’s return to on-screen programming is imminent, with many expecting an appearance or official announcement as soon as this Friday’s episode of SmackDown on September 5.
Her return is reportedly building towards a major mixed tag team match at Wrestlepalooza, where she would team with her husband, CM Punk, against Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch. That storyline was ignited on September 1 at Clash in Paris, when Lynch interfered to help Rollins defeat Punk for the World Heavyweight Championship.