A Triumphant Return at Wrestlepalooza
After a decade away from the squared circle, AJ Lee made a triumphant and victorious return to a WWE ring at the inaugural Wrestlepalooza premium live event on September 20, 2025. Teaming with her husband, CM Punk, the duo defeated the formidable husband-and-wife team of World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins and Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch in a chaotic and highly anticipated mixed tag team match.
The nearly 30-minute contest was a dramatic affair filled with intense action and emotional high points. Despite showing some initial ring rust, Lee quickly found her footing, earning chants of “you still got it” from the Indianapolis crowd. The match featured numerous false finishes and wild spots, including a moment where all four competitors crashed through an announce table. The climax arrived when Lee cinched in her signature Black Widow submission hold on Becky Lynch, forcing the champion to tap out and securing a monumental victory for her team.
The Journey Back to the Ring
AJ Lee retired from professional wrestling in 2015, citing injuries and a sense that she had accomplished all her goals. In the intervening years, she became a successful author and mental health advocate, largely stepping away from the industry. However, the prospect of a return began to materialize following her husband’s own comeback to WWE.
In recent interviews, Lee admitted that the decision to return was both exciting and “scary.” She explained that while she was comfortable in retirement, interactions with a loyal fanbase at Comic-Con events made her feel she “owed them a little something.” The opportunity to be part of a major new event like Wrestlepalooza, a cornerstone of WWE’s new broadcast strategy as noted by digitaltrendstoday.com, presented a “new mountain to climb.”
Her husband, CM Punk, revealed that WWE’s interest was so high that even if an in-ring return wasn’t physically possible, the company had offered her non-wrestling roles, such as a brand ambassador.
A Power Couple’s On-Screen Reunion
The storyline for Lee’s return was woven into CM Punk’s heated rivalry with Seth Rollins. After Becky Lynch got involved to help her husband, it paved the way for Lee to make her official on-screen return on the September 5 episode of SmackDown to even the odds. For Punk, sharing this experience has been a career highlight.
“Having her be back in this environment with me at work is like a dream come true,” Punk stated in a recent podcast appearance. He praised her dedication and willpower, calling her an inspiration for her hard work in the gym to prepare for the physically demanding return match.
What Lies Ahead for AJ Lee?
By forcing the reigning Women’s Intercontinental Champion to submit, AJ Lee has immediately catapulted herself into the title picture. The victory not only gives her a definitive claim to a championship match against Becky Lynch but also opens the door to a plethora of dream matches against the current roster of WWE Superstars. Fans are already buzzing about potential encounters with talents such as:
- Rhea Ripley
- Bianca Belair
- Iyo Sky
- Tiffany Stratton
Lee’s successful comeback at Wrestlepalooza was more than just a nostalgic moment; it was a statement. She proved that after ten years, she can still compete at the highest level. Her return injects a fresh wave of excitement into the women’s division and sets the stage for what promises to be a compelling new chapter in her already storied career.
