The in-ring return of AJ Lee at WWE Wrestlepalooza was a success, both in front of the live crowd and backstage. According to a new report from Fightful Select, the internal reaction to her performance was very positive. It was added, “Those that we spoke to in WWE felt she did really well. Becky Lynch was heavily credited for her performance. One longtime WWE name said that Lynch has helped lead so many wrestlers through matches when they’ve taken long absences, and they feel she did well.”
The match, which saw Lee team with her husband CM Punk to defeat Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch, was her first time competing in over eleven years, and she showed no signs of ring rust, ultimately securing the victory for her team by making Becky Lynch tap out to her Black Widow submission hold. This is not expected to be a one-off appearance for the former Divas Champion, as she signed a new contract with WWE upon her return on September 5, 2025.
Lee’s return to a WWE ring was one of the most looked-forward-to matches of the Wrestlepalooza event. The 38-year-old had been a fan favorite and one of the most influential performers of her generation before her retirement in 2015.
During her first run with the company, she held the WWE Divas Championship three times, with one of her reigns lasting a then-record 295 days. She was known for her unique character, which often went against the grain of the typical “diva” persona of the time. Her famous “Pipebombshell” promo, in which she called out the other women on the roster for their roles on the reality show Total Divas, is seen by many as a pivotal moment in the lead-up to the Women’s Revolution in WWE.
This is just a snippet of the story. For complete details, please visit Fightful Select at Patreon.com/Fightful.
