Few WWE fans forgot AJ Lee, even after she vanished from the roster; a decade later she walked back onto SmackDown in September 2025 with her husband CM Punk at the center of the story. The old questions came with her — did she retire, why did she leave, is she back for good — and the answers mix confirmed dates, on-screen storylines, and a few things WWE has not actually said.
WWE Divas Championships: 2 ·
Years away from WWE: 10 ·
WWE return year: 2025 ·
WWE husband: CM Punk ·
Published memoir: Crazy Is My Superpower
Quick snapshot
- AJ Lee returned to WWE in September 2025 after roughly a decade away (The Ring Report (wrestling news site)).
- She is married to CM Punk (Fightful (wrestling news site)).
- The single primary reason for her 2015 WWE exit (F4WOnline (pro-wrestling trade coverage)).
- Whether the 2025 return is full-time or a limited run (Fightful (wrestling news section)).
- The Sept. 5, 2025 SmackDown return happened in Chicago (The Express Tribune (international news outlet)).
- Her first Divas Championship win came in 2013 (F4WOnline (wrestling trade coverage)).
- WWE’s storyline puts her alongside CM Punk against Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch (Fightful (wrestling news site)).
- She is set to team with Punk after a decade away (WWE (SmackDown footage)).
Six facts anchor the AJ Lee story, from her real name to the memoir that gives the comeback its fuller context.
| Label | Value |
|---|---|
| Full name | April Jeanette Mendez |
| Ring name | AJ Lee |
| Spouse | CM Punk |
| WWE Divas Championships | 2 |
| WWE return | September 2025 |
| Memoir | Crazy Is My Superpower |
Did AJ Lee retire from the WWE?
Short answer: no, not in the permanent sense. AJ Lee left WWE television in 2015 and stayed away for about a decade. The Express Tribune (international news outlet) noted she had not wrestled since March 2015 and returned on the Sept. 5, 2025 SmackDown in Chicago.
Why did AJ Lee leave WWE?
- F4WOnline reported that she chose to retire following WrestleMania 31 because of a neck injury (F4WOnline (pro-wrestling trade coverage)).
- The Express Tribune documented the gap between her last match in March 2015 and her return (The Express Tribune (international news outlet)).
A retirement that isn’t announced is easy to walk back. AJ Lee didn’t need to officially un-retire; she needed to show up, and in September 2025 she did.
Why did AJ Lee return to WWE?
- Story trigger: Becky Lynch cost CM Punk the World Heavyweight title at Clash in Paris, setting up the SmackDown return, according to F4WOnline (F4WOnline (pro-wrestling trade coverage)).
- Mental health priority: Fightful reported that AJ Lee returned to wrestling in August 2025 and said her mental health was prioritized in the decision (Fightful (wrestling news site)).
The return segment itself saw AJ Lee confront Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins, with WWE framing the moment as her comeback to the ring (The Ring Report (wrestling news site)).
What this means: the return is real, the storyline reason is Punk’s feud, and the retirement question now has a concrete answer — she wasn’t gone for good.
The pattern: WWE has confirmed the moment, not the next chapter.
Who was AJ Lee’s first husband?
The only husband in AJ Lee’s public record is CM Punk. WWE’s official AJ Lee profile identifies Punk as her husband, places their marriage in 2014, and says Punk enlisted her to return against Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch, with the comeback framed as a chance to “finish what she started” (WWE (official AJ Lee profile)).
Is CM Punk AJ Lee’s husband?
- Yes: that makes CM Punk the first and only documented husband in her biography.
- Punk is also the stated reason for the 2025 comeback: he recruited her into the feud with Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch.
Did AJ Lee have any other marriages?
- No other husband appears in the public record: Google Books’ listing for her memoir describes a personal story dominated by wrestling and resilience, not a prior marriage (Google Books (publisher listing)).
- If a source claims a different “first husband,” it’s likely mixing up on-screen WWE material with real life.
The implication: “first husband” is a trap question. CM Punk is the only husband in the verified record, and the 2014 marriage is the one fans should expect to see cited.
Did AJ Lee actually date Dolph Ziggler?
No reliable evidence confirms a real-life romance between AJ Lee and Dolph Ziggler. Their couple status was a WWE television storyline, not a documented relationship (WWE (SmackDown footage)).
Was AJ Lee’s romance with Dolph Ziggler real?
- The on-screen pairing: WWE wrote AJ Lee and Ziggler into a relationship angle during her run, which is where the rumor comes from.
- The evidence gap: none of the sources covering her 2025 return treats Ziggler as part of her real-life biography.
The trade-off: wrestling storylines are designed to feel real, which is why “did they actually date?” keeps appearing. Based on the record, there is no confirmation.
Does AJ Lee have children?
No child has been publicly confirmed by AJ Lee or CM Punk. Google Books’ listing for Crazy Is My Superpower describes a personal narrative centered on wrestling and resilience, not family life (Google Books (publisher listing)).
Do AJ Lee and CM Punk have kids?
- Not confirmed: family-planning details are not part of AJ Lee’s official WWE biography or her memoir’s public record.
- Rumors on social media often fill the gap; treat any claim about children without a direct statement from AJ Lee or CM Punk as unverified.
Why this matters: private family facts are exactly where misinformation lives. Until AJ Lee or CM Punk says otherwise, the verified answer is “none confirmed.”
Does AJ Lee have a book?
Yes: AJ Lee published the memoir Crazy Is My Superpower in 2017. Google Books lists the title as a Crown book released on April 4, 2017, at 288 pages (Google Books (publisher listing)).
Is AJ Lee a singer?
- No documented music career exists under the name AJ Lee; the Google Books listing, WWE coverage, and wrestling press identify her as a wrestler and author, not a recording artist (Google Books (publisher listing)).
- The singer search result usually points to a different AJ Lee or to fan content, not to her verified biography.
Does AJ Lee have an Instagram account?
- No verified Instagram account is cited in the sources used here; WWE’s profile doesn’t include a personal social media link.
- Fan pages and tribute accounts are common, so an “AJ Lee” profile alone is not proof.
The catch: AJ Lee’s cultural footprint is big enough that fakes and fan accounts thrive. The reliable signal is the verified projects: the memoir, the WWE appearances, and the history as a two-time Divas Champion.
AJ Lee’s career timeline
The arc from 2010 rookie to 2025 comeback is easier to follow when the dates are lined up.
- 2010 — AJ Lee appears on WWE NXT season 3 (Fightful (wrestling news site)).
- 2013 — AJ Lee wins the WWE Divas Championship for the first time (F4WOnline (pro-wrestling trade coverage)).
- 2014 — AJ Lee marries CM Punk (The Express Tribune (international news outlet)).
- 2015 — AJ Lee departs WWE in-ring competition (The Express Tribune (international news outlet)).
- 2017 — AJ Lee publishes Crazy Is My Superpower (Google Books (publisher listing)).
- September 2025 — AJ Lee returns to WWE on SmackDown (The Ring Report (wrestling news site)).
The pattern: a long gap, a few clear milestones, and a 2025 return that rewrites the ending — for now.
The most reliable confirmation of AJ Lee’s next appearance will come from WWE’s own channels, not from fan accounts. After a decade off-screen, misinformation tends to fill the gap.
Confirmed facts vs. what’s unclear
Confirmed facts
- AJ Lee returned to WWE in September 2025 after roughly a decade away (The Ring Report (wrestling news site)).
- AJ Lee is married to CM Punk (Fightful (wrestling news site)).
- AJ Lee published the memoir Crazy Is My Superpower (Google Books (publisher listing)).
What’s unclear
- The single primary reason for AJ Lee’s 2015 WWE exit (F4WOnline (pro-wrestling trade coverage)).
- Whether her 2025 return is a full-time comeback or a limited run (The Ring Report (wrestling news site)).
- Any private family-planning questions beyond what AJ Lee and CM Punk have publicly shared (Google Books (publisher listing)).
The verifiable record is stronger than the rumor trail, but the biggest open question remains whether the comeback becomes a schedule.
What they said
Three lines capture the comeback in official words.
“A stunning return.”
“AJ Lee details why she returned to WWE, says her mental health was prioritized.”
Fightful (wrestling news site)
“Crazy Is My Superpower: How I Triumphed by Breaking Bones, Breaking Hearts, and Breaking the Rules.”
Google Books (publisher listing)
The sources agree on the event; none has committed to the next date.
The takeaway
AJ Lee’s decade away made her return a genuine WWE moment, but the fuller story is still being written. The promotion has confirmed the return and the storyline; it hasn’t confirmed a full-time schedule. For WWE fans, the implication is clear: follow WWE’s official channels for the next AJ Lee announcement, or risk treating speculation as fact.
Related reading
- Tracy Cortez: Biography, Relationships, Net Worth & More
- Cameron Monaghan: Verified Relationship Facts and Career
More profiles follow the same rule: confirmed facts before rumor.
sports.yahoo.com, ringsidenews.com, foxsports.com, whatculture.com
Frequently asked questions
How many WWE Divas Championships did AJ Lee win?
AJ Lee won the WWE Divas Championship twice during her WWE career (F4WOnline (pro-wrestling trade coverage)).
What is AJ Lee’s real name?
Her real name is April Jeanette Mendez (Google Books (publisher listing)).
When did AJ Lee marry CM Punk?
The couple married in 2014 (WWE (official AJ Lee profile)).
What is AJ Lee’s book Crazy Is My Superpower about?
It is a memoir about her path through wrestling, personal resilience, and the battles she fought outside the ring (Google Books (publisher listing)).
Is AJ Lee back in WWE full-time?
Not confirmed. WWE has announced her return and her teaming with CM Punk, but no full-time schedule has been published (WWE (SmackDown footage)).
Is AJ Lee a singer?
No documented music career exists under the name AJ Lee; she is known as a wrestler and author (Google Books (publisher listing)).
Does AJ Lee have an Instagram account?
No verified Instagram account is cited in the sources used here; treat fan accounts with caution.
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Noah Gagnon is Senior Reporter at Canada Scope, covering daily news and breaking stories across Canada.