AJ Lee left WWE in 2015 due to ongoing back issues, and things weren't okay with the company for a while due to their feud with her husband, which included serving his release papers on their wedding day. AJ Mendez's name is not on any banned list, because her husband, CM Punk, made his miraculous return in November last year. That was, and still is, no guarantee that the former Divas Champion will follow him.
As the rumor mill churns, another report about AJ Lee, now going as AJ Mendez, has started going around. I can confirm that there are no talks to bring her into WWE at this time, but she is still loved internally.
Fact Check: AJ Lee Return Rumor
There's been talk circulating on social media that AJ Lee might return to WWE following CM Punk's comeback, with discussions reportedly initiated through Punk prior to the Royal Rumble, but ultimately, they didn't materialize.
A rumor going around is that 'despite ongoing efforts from WWE, AJ wants a memorable return run rather than a one-time appearance." Upon investigating this topic, we can report this one is not true.
I reached out to inquire about any talks of bringing AJ Lee back into the fold. After all, CM Punk was introduced as "AJ Lee's husband" during the WrestleMania conference in the T-Mobile Arena. He has also made mention of his wife a couple of times on television.
As much fun as an AJ Lee return might be, I am told that there is no talk in that direction internally, nor with AJ about wrestling again. I was also told by a tenured source within the company that:
She's very well liked, and respected. Just not a topic at the moment.
Retirement & Latest Work in Wrestling
AJ Lee had to retire due to health reasons, and her back needed the rest.
On March 30, 2015, at the SAP Center in San Jose, California, AJ Lee, Naomi, and Paige emerged victorious against Natalya and The Bella Twins. That match marked AJ Lee's final outing in the ring to this date. Based on this latest rumor killer, it doesn't seem like she will be ending that hiatus any time soon.
WOW brought AJ Mendez in as an Executive Producer for the company. Her involvement with WOW brought a lot of eyeballs, but she did not compete for the company. Tessa Blanchard, who did compete for WOW, had some disagreements with AJ during their time together.
AJ announced in August 2023 that she was moving on from WOW, but she wishes them the best and thanked them for the opportunity and the big payday. She has no shortage of projects, writings, and other things to keep her busy.
SEScoops will continue to monitor this story and will provide an update if new information becomes available.