Following her return on WWE Friday Night SmackDown, a new report from PWInsider.com has indicated that AJ Lee will be appearing on this Monday’s episode of Raw. The appearance will be her first on the red brand in over a decade and is expected to mark her first official match back with the company.
According to the report, the word backstage at last night’s SmackDown was that Lee will be on the September 8th episode of Raw to “seal the deal” for her return match. The plan is for her to officially set up the heavily rumored mixed tag team match that would see her and her husband, CM Punk, take on the husband-and-wife duo of World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins and Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch.
That match is scheduled to take place at the inaugural WWE Wrestlepalooza premium live event on Saturday, September 20, from Indianapolis, Indiana. The event will be the first WWE PLE to air on the new ESPN streaming platform, and a match of this caliber would be a fitting main event to kick off the new partnership. The story began at the Clash in Paris PLE, where Becky Lynch interfered to help Rollins retain his title against Punk.
AJ Lee’s return on SmackDown was a moment that has been heavily talked about over the last two days among fans. She came to the aid of her husband after he was being berated by Becky Lynch, taking “The Man” out with a Thesz press and a slap. Shortly after the show, WWE Chief Content Officer Paul “Triple H” Levesque posted a video of Lee officially signing her new WWE contract, confirming she is back with the company.
She has been effectively retired from the ring since March 2015 due to a neck injury. In the ten years since, she has built a successful career as a writer and mental health advocate, largely staying away from the wrestling business until now.