AJ Lee (who now goes by her real name, AJ Mendez) will go down as one of the greatest female wrestlers of all time. While it's heartbreaking that her WWE run didn't last longer, the former Divas Champion is a WWE Hall of Fame-level talent, who fans have spent a decade hoping would eventually return.
Lee played a crucial role in changing the perception of female wrestlers in WWE, though it was in 2015 that she walked away from the company. Of course, based on how they'd treated her husband, CM Punk, the previous year, that wasn't overly surprising, and Mendez hasn't wrestled since.
Following the Clash in Paris PLE and Monday's RAW, all signs point to her teaming up with Punk to face World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins and his wife, Women's Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch, at Wrestlepalooza this month.
According to Bryan Alvarez on X, "Punk & AJ vs. Seth & Becky is planned for WrestlePalooza." This was to be expected, and the mixed tag team match is likely to be one of the marquee bouts, along with John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar.
Fightful Select has also chimed in, revealing that WWE is hoping Lee's comeback will not be a "one-off." It's been "heavily implied" by WWE sources that she'll either appear or be referenced on SmackDown this week, something that has the WWE locker room buzzing.
Several younger women on the roster are "very excited" to work with her. The site adds, "We were told this isn’t necessarily a one-off, and that WWE hopes that they can do more with her, but even if that’s it, they’re happy to have her involved again." There are also reportedly no concerns about whether Lee is ring-ready, suggesting she's been preparing this for a while.
That's what the dirt sheets are saying, but the official WWE Shop also appears to have spoiled Lee's surprise return during this Friday's episode of SmackDown in Chicago.
"With AJ Lee’s return to the ring, we are looking to have some [fire] gear hopefully in time for Wrestlepalooza," the now-deleted Tweet said in response to a fan. Someone's getting fired!
The Wrestlepalooza PLE takes place on September 20, so stay tuned for updates on that and this Friday's SmackDown.