A decade gone in a heartbeat
Ten years is a lifetime in pro wrestling, and yet, when AJ Lee strode back onto SmackDown on September 5, 2025, the reaction sounded like she’d never left. After roughly 3,800 days off WWE TV, the former multi-time champion returned in the most WWE way possible: a surprise entrance, a furious sprint to the ring, and an immediate statement made at the expense of Becky Lynch, the reigning Women’s Intercontinental Champion.
The scene was already tense. CM Punk stood across from Lynch and World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins. Punk made it clear he wouldn’t lay a hand on Lynch—then teased he’d brought someone who would. The music hit, the arena exploded, and the camera caught Rollins and Lynch turning toward the stage just as Lee appeared. In seconds, she was in the ring, unloading on Lynch and dropping her with a facebuster while chants ricocheted around the building.
On commentary, Michael Cole leaned into the history, calling her “the woman who made crazy cool,” repeating the long-time fan refrain that “crazy is her superpower.” Corey Graves followed suit, painting the moment as a generational collision: a pioneer from the 2010s confronting one of the definitive stars of today.
Lynch tried to bail out of the chaos but didn’t get far. Lee pressed the advantage, pacing the ring as the crowd buzzed and Rollins hovered near the ropes. The camera cut to Punk, calmly soaking in the moment, then back to Lee standing over Lynch. When SmackDown went off the air, WWE released backstage footage of Lee and Punk embracing and smiling through what looked like a cocktail of relief, adrenaline, and disbelief. After a decade away, she was back—on her terms, and with impact.
What it means for WWE now
Lee’s return isn’t just a nostalgia pop. It’s a pivot point that touches the women’s division, a headline couple vs. couple story, and WWE’s broader creative direction. Start with the obvious: targeting Lynch throws Lee straight into the deepest part of the pool. Lynch carries the company’s newly established Women’s Intercontinental title and has been the division’s backbone for years. If Lee’s not back for a one-off, this is a needle-moving rivalry that writes itself.
It also adds a combustible layer to the Punk–Rollins rivalry. Punk and Rollins have been circling each other since Punk’s 2023 return. Now, both couples—Punk and Lee, Rollins and Lynch—are in the same frame. The mixed-tag possibilities are obvious. So is a singles showdown between Lee and Lynch. In WWE terms, this is premium live event material, whether it’s a one-on-one grudge match or a marquee mixed-tag that anchors a major card.
For longtime fans, the significance is personal. Lee was a defining star during an era when the women’s roster rarely got the time or attention it deserved. She still broke through—three Divas Championship reigns, sharp promos, memorable programs—and helped set the stage for the wave that followed. Her 2013 mic work (the “pipe-bombshell” era) and her book a few years later amplified her voice beyond the ring. Seeing her lock eyes with Lynch, who became the face of a new era, felt like two timelines colliding.
The physical question lingers, because it always does when someone returns after years away: how much can she do, and how often? Lee hasn’t wrestled a televised WWE match since 2015. She’s stayed around the business—working behind the scenes and on-air with Women of Wrestling and becoming an author and advocate—but the grind of WWE travel and matches is a different test. Nothing in Friday’s segment answered that fully, nor did it try to. It simply showed that her timing, charisma, and instincts are intact. The rest will come into focus soon.
Creatively, WWE has options. A straight path: Lee vs. Lynch for the Women’s Intercontinental title. A spicier route: Lee and Punk vs. Lynch and Rollins in a mixed-tag, playing off real-life relationships and old grudges. There’s also the alignment question. Attacking Lynch on arrival reads as a heel move, but the live crowd didn’t treat it that way. Lee’s popularity has always cut through labels. WWE can lean into that gray area, letting reactions guide the character rather than forcing a turn.
There’s business upside here too. The company has enjoyed a run of big returns and long-term stories. Bringing back a figure as beloved and polarizing as Lee fuels social buzz, ticket demand, and merch. More importantly, it freshens the women’s main-event picture with a name who connects with fans who stuck with WWE through leaner years for the division. If WWE wants the Women’s Intercontinental title to feel vital, stacking it with legacy vs. legacy matchups is the way.
For Lynch, this throws her plans into a blender. She’s been the division’s steady hand, toggling between workhorse champion and pay-per-view headliner. Now she has an opponent who knows how to get under skin and into headlines. Lynch thrives in fights that feel personal. This one already does. For Rollins, it reopens an old wound: Punk is near, and now he’s brought backup. For Punk, it’s validation—his world and Lee’s colliding on WWE’s biggest stage.
Fans didn’t need a press release to understand the emotional layer. The post-show video told the story: two veterans taking a beat in the hallway, letting the noise wash over them. Lee’s smile said she knew the weight of the moment. Punk’s look said he knew it too. Ten years is a long time to carry unfinished business.
What happens next is up to WWE, but there are only a few realistic paths, and all of them are big-stage friendly:
- Lee challenges Lynch directly for the Women’s Intercontinental Championship, fast-tracking a singles match.
- A heated mixed-tag is announced—Punk and Lee vs. Rollins and Lynch—pulling both world titles and the women’s mid-card title story into one spotlight.
- WWE stretches the slow burn with more confrontations on SmackDown, testing Lee’s in-ring reps in bursts before a full-length match.
There’s also the health and schedule piece. WWE hasn’t said whether Lee signed on for a full-time run or a limited slate. Given her time away and past injuries, a targeted schedule makes sense. That can still deliver premium moments without asking for weekly mileage. And if the first night back is any clue, moments are the point.
One more thread to watch: the locker room response. Today’s women’s roster includes stars who grew up watching Lee. For them, sharing a ring with her is both opportunity and measuring stick. If this extends beyond Lynch, matchups with names across Raw and SmackDown could follow, creating rare crossover bouts between eras while the Lynch story anchors the present.
Strip it down, and the return worked because it was simple. A surprise. A confrontation fans instantly understood. A shock attack that left a champion reeling. No overcomplication, no overexplanation—just a live moment that felt big. WWE can spend the next weeks explaining the why. Friday night reminded everyone how much power there is in the what.
Ten years out, and the sound of the crowd said it plainly: they missed her. Now the hard part starts—turning that welcome back into matches, stakes, and a run that adds a new chapter to a legacy that, for a decade, looked complete.
