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Major Update On A Potential AJ Lee Return Following WWE Clash In Paris

Could AJ Lee's long-awaited return to WWE finally be in the works? Here's what is being said behind the scenes.
Rick Ucchino|
AJ Mendez aka AJ Lee
AJ Mendez aka AJ Lee | IMAGO / NurPhoto

Is the long wait almost over? Could AJ Lee soon make her return to WWE?

The incredibly popular former Divas Champion retired from wrestling over a decade ago, but fans have always held out hope that she'd come back to the ring one day.

The closest anyone has seen to Lee in a wrestling ring over the past 10 years, however, was her role as Elle Dorado in season two of Heels on Showtime.

The hype train has officially gone off the rails following the shocking finish to WWE Clash in Paris Sunday night. Becky Lynch, the wife of Seth Rollins, interfered in the main event by low-blowing CM Punk, the husband of AJ Lee, and costing him the World Heavyweight Championship.

Moments before Lynch got involved, Rollins was heard telling Punk that he hated him and his 'stupid family.' And following his loss, CM Punk was also seen grabbing a sign from a fan in the crown that read "Bring Back AJ Lee" while the Jackie Redmond and Big E discussed the topic, further stoking the rumors.

The closing events of the show immediately had fans talking online and there appears to be some validity to the rampant speculation coming out of Clash in Paris.

"WWE sources have indicated that AJ Lee's name has been brought up in numerous pitches internally of late," Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select reported Sunday evening. "We can't confirm an AJ Lee return is a go, but sources in WWE said there has been more traction on it of late than in previous years."

The Takedown on SI's Jon Alba has also independently confirmed that AJ Lee has been brought up in WWE creative meetings in recent months.

Ross Sapp says that Lee has largely been uninterested in making a return to the ring since her retirement, but that has not stopped the constant overtures from fans, current women on the WWE roster and even her own husband at times.

Will AJ Lee return for Wrestlepalooza?

AJ Lee and Paige
AJ Lee and Paige at WrestleMania 31 | WWE.com

AJ Lee last wrestled on the March 30, 2015 edition of Monday Night Raw, when she teamed with Paige and Naomi to defeat the Bella Twins and Natalya in a Six-Women Tag Team Match. Is it realistic to expect she'd be ready to go for the next PLE?

"One WWE higher up in the last few weeks had told Fightful that if she were to return, they don't have concerns about her time out of the ring for a number of reasons," Ross Sapp said in his report. "One being that she looks like she just left TV at all times, and because she's married to someone who also took a long amount of time off from wrestling and returned."

WWE was reportedly looking to build some major buzz coming out of Clash in Paris, with their next Premium Live Event being the first on the ESPN DTC streaming service. Mission accomplished.

The return of AJ Lee would be a massive booking victory for WWE, especially if they can get her back in time for Wrestlepalooza. The event less than three weeks away, so we should find out if that will be the case rather quickly.

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Rick Ucchino
RICK UCCHINO

Rick Ucchino is the Assistant Editor & Content Coordinator for The Takedown on SI. He also works full-time for 700WLW Radio in Cincinnati, Ohio as a local news and sports anchor, in addition to his time covering the Cincinnati Bengals for Sirius XM. Rick has been on the professional wrestling beat since 2019, having provided coverage for a number of outlets, including Fightful, SB Nation’s Cageside Seats and the Bleav Podcast Network. With an educational background in theater, creative writing and journalism, Rick focuses primarily on the storytelling aspect of pro wrestling, but he’s no stranger to the squared circle himself. He had the privilege of training with former WWE & WCW cruiserweight Jimmy Wang Yang for nearly two years and retired early due to back issues with a perfect 1-0 record in singles competition. Rick is a married father of two incredibly adorable children, who are budding pro wrestling fans themselves. Much to the chagrin of their mother. You can reach Rick at rwucchino@gmail.com

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