AJ Lee Set To Make Blockbuster Return on SmackDown; CM Punk's AEW Revenge

AJ Lee is reportedly set to make a groundbreaking return, and it's a "forgone conclusion" that an announcement will come on SmackDown, or she'll even appear in Chicago on Friday, per Fightful Select. Speculation grew tenfold when CM Punk was informed that this week's episode of the blue brand would take place in his hometown, to which he responded, "tremendous".

The former three-time WWE Divas Champion retired from pro wrestling in April 2015 and has since taken on other ventures, such as becoming a New York Times best-selling author. But she is now headed back to the ring and to be part of the never-ending feud between her husband, Punk, and Lynch's husband, Rollins.

Becky Lynch and CM Punk were embroiled in a heated exchange on RAW, and it ended with the WWE Women's Intercontinental Champion slapping The Best in the World. She mocked Punk as he left the ring and headed backstage but might not be the one laughing after SmackDown on Friday night.

The 38-year-old's first return match is also thought to be planned to take place at Wrestlepalooza on September 21, per Bryan Alvarez of Wrestling Observer. There is an expectation that she'll be teaming up with Punk to face Lynch and Rollins in a mixed tag match.

AJ Lee was one of the most popular stars in WWE during the PG era, managing to break barriers and reach the same level as the likes of CM Punk, John Cena and Daniel Bryan (now known as Bryan Danielson in AEW). She played a crazy chick who toyed with the likes of the aforementioned trio.

AJ Lee's Return Is A Massive Blow For AEW

WWE are counter-programming AEW on September 21 when they hold their Wrestlepalooza PLE on the same night as All Out. It's expected that John Cena will face the returning Brock Lesnar while Cody Rhodes will put his WWE Championship on the line against Drew McIntyre.

AJ Lee's big return also looks set to be part of the show that will now feature two of the biggest returns of the TKO era. That's bad news for AEW, who are up against quite possibly the most stacked matchcard of any WWE PLE this year.

AEW have been on a roll lately, and their most recent PPV, Forbidden Door, was hugely successful, with Hangman Adam Page and MJF putting on a spectacular AEW World Championship match. They have been building momentum, and excitement was building towards All Out, where Adam Copeland and Christian Cage will team up against FTR.

Tony Khan could try to respond to AJ Lee and Lesnar's big return matches by booking an AEW return of its own, with Chris Jericho's future up in the air. Jericho's contract is reportedly up next year, and there's talk of a WWE return, having not featured on AEW TV since April due to commitments away from the ring.

There is some irony in AJ Lee's return match coming on the same night WWE chose to go up against AEW for the first time. On this day, (September 2), two years ago, CM Punk was fired by WWE's biggest rival company for backstage altercations, and both parties have yet to make amends.

Punk returned to WWE in November 2023 at Survivor Series in Chicago and has enjoyed one of his best runs, including feuds with Seth Rollins and Drew McIntyre. He shot down talk of his wife returning, but told fans that she had been missing them whenever her name was chanted.