AJ Lee returned to WWE in 2025 after over a decade away from the corporate, in an enormous moment that countless fans had been wanting for years.
AJ’s return to WWE saw her work with top names, including defeating Becky Lynch for the WWE Women’s Intercontinental Championship in 2026.
Before her WWE return, the closest AJ had come to a return to wrestling was her time as a producer/commentator for WOW – Women of Wrestling.
Chatting with “The A2theK Wrestling Show”, indie wrestler Madisyn Maxxwell, who worked on WOW, spoke about AJ’s role with the corporate. She said,
“AJ and I didn’t really work quite a bit together, nevertheless it was still really cool. She was there [and I was] around women which have done what I would like to do. My end goal obviously is to be a WWE Superstar. So having her there was really cool.”
The response to AJ’s return to WWE showed her unwavering popularity with pro wrestling fans, even a decade away from the promotion.
For Maxxwell, the response AJ received proved that ladies can still be seen as credible despite being older than other Superstars. She explained,
“Her returning, I believe it also just gives hope. One in every of my biggest fears in wrestling is I grow up and someday I’m going to be aged out essentially. So seeing women, not that she’s old, but seeing women do that beyond the years that I assumed I’d give you the chance to do it is de facto, really inspiring.
“So her return just gives hope for all of the indie wrestlers on the market that haven’t made it yet that it’s okay. We haven’t had a contract yet. We still have time. We’re not aged out.”
For years, pro wrestling has had an age bias, with older male wrestlers being pushed in top roles for for much longer than their female counterparts.
Lee wrapped up her most up-to-date on-screen run with WWE at WrestleMania 42, where she lost the Women’s Intercontinental Title to Lynch.