AJ Lee, Stephanie McMahon Address Explosive 2015 Tweets

Nearly 10 years later, both women sat down on McMahon's "What's Your Story" podcast on Nov. 24, 2025, to revisit those tweets. And here's the thing — they actually laughed about it. That tells you everything you need to know about how far we've come. Because back in 2015, that conversation doesn't happen.

The Divas Championship Era

Remember that butterfly belt? Yeah, that was the Divas Championship, and if you've tried to erase it from your memory, I don't blame you. But back in 2014, AJ Lee was doing everything she could to make that title mean something. She held it for a record-breaking 295 days across two reigns (June 16, 2013, to April 7, 2014, and Sept. 21, 2014, to Nov. 23, 2014), becoming the longest-reigning Divas Champion in WWE history at that time — a record that stood until the title was retired in 2016. But here's the thing — speaking up about equal pay in WWE back then? That was career suicide territory. AJ did it anyway.

What AJ Actually Said

Here's what AJ tweeted at Stephanie McMahon on Feb. 2, 2015:

"Your female wrestlers have record selling merchandise & have starred in the highest rated segment of the show several times."

Then she followed up with this:

"And yet they receive a fraction of the wages & screen time of the majority of the male roster."

Straight to the point. No sugarcoating it.

How Bad It Really Was

Let's be real about what women's wrestling looked like back then. Fewer matches, less screen time, and way too often, a women's match was your cue to hit the bathroom. That's not a knock on the talent; they had it. But when you're barely getting TV time, and the fans have been conditioned to see you as filler, what can you do? Good luck breaking through.

The frustration reached a boiling point in February 2015 when a 30-second women's match on Monday Night Raw sparked the viral #GiveDivasAChance movement on social media. Someone had to call it out, and AJ Lee was that someone.

AJ's Exit

Lee wasn't afraid to speak her truth, and she paid a price for it. Her final match was on March 30, 2015. She retired the next month due to personal reasons, injuries, and advocacy. She stood up for what she believed, consequences be darned.

After more than a decade away from WWE, Lee made a shocking return in September 2025, reuniting with her husband CM Punk for a mixed tag team match at WWE's Wrestlepalooza event.

Where We Are Now

Seeing both of them laugh about those tweets on the podcast? That's progress. I don't think that conversation happens nearly a decade ago. Screen time is closer to 50/50 now between men and women. Women's matches regularly main event WWE premium live events, and female superstars like Rhea Ripley, Bianca Belair, and Becky Lynch are among WWE's biggest draws in 2025.

Just look at WWE's upcoming Survivor Series: WarGames on Nov. 30, 2025, where AJ Lee is scheduled to compete in the women's WarGames match — a stipulation that didn't even exist for women until 2017.

I'm not saying the women's roster didn't have talent back in 2015 — they absolutely did. The difference is that now we actually get to see it. You need more than a pretty face to be a star these days, and that's exactly how it should be.

Here is a clip of that segment:

The conversation between AJ and Stephanie showed how far women's wrestling has come since 2015. But it also reminded us that we're not done yet. Every generation builds on the people who had the guts to speak up, and AJ Lee was one of those people. The work continues. The funny thing is that once you look back to see how far you've traveled, you realize there's still considerable ground yet to cover.