Tonight’s episode of Friday Night SmackDown from Chicago, IL, concluded with the return of former WWE Divas Champion AJ Lee. The show’s final segment began with World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins appearing in the crowd, introducing his wife, WWE Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch, who then came to the ring for a promo.
As Lynch began to speak, the Chicago crowd started chanting the name of CM Punk’s wife, “AJ Lee.” Lynch responded directly to the chants, stating, “how dare you chant another person’s name while I’m standing in this ring.” She continued by calling herself the “greatest wrestler of all-time” and drew boos by insulting local sports teams. The segment was interrupted when she said “CM Punk sucks,” which prompted his music to play.
Punk and Lynch Exchange Words
CM Punk came to the ring and addressed Lynch, mentioning her “coward” husband hiding in a skybox. He told Lynch that the situation between him and Rollins had nothing to do with her. When the crowd started chanting for AJ Lee again, Lynch told them to shut up. Punk responded by telling Lynch that she should let the fans chant and that if it bothered her, she shouldn’t have gotten involved in his business.
Punk then suggested several people who could confront Lynch, including one of his sisters, Bayley, or even calling in a favor from Rhea Ripley. In response to his comments, Lynch slapped Punk across the face, just as she had done on this past week’s episode of Raw. As she continued to slap and taunt him, Seth Rollins was shown celebrating in the skybox.
AJ Lee Returns
After the slaps, Punk began to exit the ring. He stated that he would not put his hands on a woman, but that he “knows someone who will.” At that moment, AJ Lee’s entrance music played, and she appeared on the entrance ramp to a massive reaction from the Chicago crowd.
Lee went out to the ring and immediately attacked Becky Lynch, taking her down with a Lou Thesz Press followed by ground and pound punches and a hard slap. Lynch quickly retreated from the ring and ran to the back with Seth Rollins. The show closed with AJ Lee’s music playing as she and CM Punk stood together in the ring. This marks Lee’s first appearance on WWE programming in over nine years, since her retirement in 2015.
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AJ LEE IS BACK!!!!! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/UPsT7EcVdE
— WWE (@WWE) September 6, 2025
Mess with @cmpunk, you mess with AJ Lee! 🤠pic.twitter.com/VVKqL73BMx
— WWE (@WWE) September 6, 2025
Things we love to see 🥹@cmpunk pic.twitter.com/SdwtWk3tqJ
— WWE (@WWE) September 6, 2025
