AJ Lee returns

It’s been a decade since AJ Lee last stepped inside a WWE ring, but on the Sept. 5 edition of SmackDown in Chicago, the former Divas Champion shocked the wrestling world with her long-awaited comeback.

The night turned electric when Lee joined her husband, CM Punk, in confronting Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch, WWE’s other high-profile married duo. The return wasn’t just a surprise; it marked the next chapter in one of the company’s most personal rivalries.

Punk has been at the center of WWE’s main event scene since winning the World Heavyweight Championship at SummerSlam. But his triumph was cut short when Rollins cashed in his Money in the Bank contract to snatch the title away. Their animosity boiled over again at Clash in Paris, where Becky Lynch helped her husband retain gold in a chaotic fatal four-way match.

On Raw days later, Lynch escalated tensions by berating Punk and slapping him across the face. Punk hinted at a surprise coming at SmackDown, a tease that paid off when AJ Lee made her stunning entrance.

Known for her charismatic yet unpredictable persona, Lee was one of WWE’s defining stars of the early 2010s. She captured the Divas Championship three times, tied for the most reigns during that era, and became beloved for her elite mic skills, trademark skip to the ring, and a character that blurred the line between reality and fiction.

Her run was short but unforgettable. After competing at WrestleMania 31 in 2015, Lee wrestled her final match the next night on Raw. WWE announced her retirement shortly after, citing cervical spine damage as one of the key reasons. Since then, Lee has found success outside the ring as a writer, author, and executive producer for Women of Wrestling.

WWE is already building toward a blockbuster tag team clash. All signs point to Punk and Lee joining forces against Rollins and Lynch at WrestlePalooza on Sept. 20, the company’s first premium live event airing on ESPN’s streaming service. After 10 years away, AJ Lee is back where she belongs. And if her return proves anything, it’s that sometimes the wait makes the moment even sweeter.