A highly anticipated WWE return finally looks to be on the horizon.
Following Becky Lynch assisting her real-life husband Seth Rollins in retaining the World Heavyweight Championship over CM Punk, Jey Uso, and LA Knight at WWE: Clash in Paris this past Sunday, there has been intense speculation that AJ Lee could be set to return to WWE to help even the odds.
Fightful Select have now followed up on their report from Sunday night, revealing that after being brought up in internal pitches, AJ Lee is now set to return to the ring at Wrestlepalooza, with WWE sources implying that this upcoming Friday’s episode of SmackDown could see her appear or referenced.
“WWE is planning an AJ Lee return to the ring at WrestlePalooza, and a return on-screen imminently. Fightful Select reported this weekend that there had been a number of pitches internally for AJ Lee, who is poised to return to the ring after ten years. It was heavily implied by WWE sources that AJ would be appearing or referenced on this week’s Smackdown, which seems like a forgone conclusion at this point.”
-Fightful Select
Bryan Alvarez had recently stated during an episode of Wrestling Observer Radio that WWE were planning matches ahead of her impending return, a notion that Fightful have now corroborated.
According to the report, several staff members and talent within WWE claimed that whilst they hadn’t spoken to or seen AJ Lee since leaving the company, she had maintained very pleasant exchanges with them over the years.
Furthermore, several women’s wrestlers who grew up watching AJ Lee are said to be very excited, with one veteran who never had the chance to work with the former Divas Champion telling Fightful that she was shocked at the news due to CM Punk’s tendency to shoot down the usually needling about a possible return.
Many fans will be hopeful of seeing AJ Lee working with several of the modern-day stars of WWE’s women’s division, and Fightful Select additionally revealed that there is hope that her impending return will stretch beyond this storyline.
“We were told this isn’t necessarily a one-off, and that WWE hopes that they can do more with her, but even if that’s it, they’re happy to have her involved again.”
-Fightful Select
Wrestlepalooza is set to take place on September 20th at the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, Indiana and will be the first main roster WWE PLE to air on ESPN in the United States following the expiration of the promotion’s contract with Peacock.
AJ Lee/April Mendez has been absent from in-ring action since March 2015 as she announced her retirement the following month, later citing both permanent damage to her cervical spine and the fulfilment of her goals as the reasoning behind her decision.
Mendez had additionally expressed that she felt “caught in the middle” of WWE and CM Punk’s disputes after the latter’s controversial departure in 2014, although it now looks a certainty that the pair will be reunited on screen as they look to take on The Vision’s Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch.
As always, we’ll aim to provide any further updates on AJ Lee’s upcoming return to WWE as soon as we hear more.
