Two-Time Pro Wrestling Illustrated's Woman of the Year Returns to the WWE
For the first time in over 10 years, AJ Lee is back in a WWE ring. Tonight, on SmackDown, the three-time Divas Champion returned and laid out Becky Lynch for slapping her husband, CM Punk, not once but twice this week. The anticipation in the Allstate Arena was at an all-time high, and the crowd was chanting her name all night long. When the moment finally came, the arena erupted as one of the WWE Universe's fan favorites finally returned to the squared circle after a week of rumors and speculation. The only question now is what’s next, and that answer is not complicated at all.
With the WrestlePalooze Premium Live Event 15 days away as of this moment, the only logical next step is a huge mixed tag team match pitting Lee and Punk against Lynch and her husband, Seth Rollins. Punk and Rollins have been embroiled in a feud since the Voice of the Voiceless returned to the WWE in November of 2023. Now, the two have made this rivalry a family affair by having their wives get involved, and the fans are loving every second of this. Now, Lee has not wrestled since 2015, so there will be some ring rust, but fans are just ecstatic to have her back, and so is WWE management. There have been reports that the WWE would like to keep Lee around after this match and have plans for her to be involved in future programs.
For the women’s wrestling pioneer that she is, Lee deserves this opportunity to compete with as many women as possible, as many of them would not have these opportunities if it were not for her contributions to the industry. Adding her and Lynch to this feud will only drive the Rollins-Punk feud further, and more animosity and fan engagement to this long-term story. For Lee, this is just the start of her second run in the WWE. It may all start at WrestlePalooza, but I do not doubt that her time with the WWE will not be a one-off, and there will be plenty of stories to tell and women to fight. Diehard fans know that this is a dream match for Roxanne Perez, and it is also a match that fans want to see. For now, fans are ecstatic that AJ Lee is back, and the possibilities of her competing in the ring are endless.
