Why did AJ Lee retire and what is she doing now? All we know amid former wrestler's return speculation

Ever since she retired from WWE, former wrestler AJ Lee, whose real name is April Jeanette Mendez, often called AJ Mendez, has sparked return speculation.

According to a report in The Sportster, the former three-Divas champion announced her retirement after her final match at WrestleMania 31 in April 2015. As per the outlet, her retirement was believed to be influenced by several factors.

One of the reasons was believed to be her husband’s strained relationship with WWE. Another reason that influenced Lee to take the step was that fans believed she was frustrated by how WWE treated women at her time, with insufficient TV time or matches provided to them.

Many believed that she retired primarily due to her neck and spine injuries, specifically, three herniated discs during her wrestling career that led her to take a break.

AJ Lee is currently working as a writer and mental health advocate. She is also an actress. She appeared on the drama series Heels and the 2024 comedy feature Sacramento, where she portrayed the role of a former fighter. The film reportedly premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival.

Now, WWE has fueled speculation that AJ Lee will be returning to the industry due to its recent promotional activity for its all-women's Evolution 2 premium live event.

Here is what we know.

Is AJ Lee returning to the wrestling world?

AJ Lee is also the co-founder of Scrappy Heart Productions along with actress Aimee Garcia, per her Instagram profile. Her production house has produced comics, short films, including horror movies.

She has co-written Netflix's Blade of the 47 Ronin. Some of her books include Crazy Is My Superpower, Day of the Dead Girl, Volume 1, among others.

Despite widespread speculation, there is no official confirmation that AJ Lee will be returning to the wrestling world. With WWE Evolution 2025 set to begin on July 13, 2025, at State Farm Arena in Atlanta, Georgia, fans are expecting her return soon. According to Fandomwire, Lee has been dropping hints on her social media that added fuel to the fire, with her large fanbase anticipating her return to the game.

According to a report in Newsweek, the WWE Vault YouTube channel recently released a video titled Story of the rise of AJ Lee, followed by another video showing her iconic match against Paige. This has left fans wondering if she would be returning to WWE. However, they are still waiting for her response as the former WWE star hasn’t wrestled in a decade.

Earlier in an interview on the podcast Cheap Heat, her husband, CM Punk, explained why his wife’s return is uncertain. He said:

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“It's a workload thing for her. She's very, very busy. I'm not trying to not talk about it, but I'm also trying to temper people's expectations. If she wraps up some stuff that she's working on and she has the time, and she feels like dipping her toe back in or jumping back in the pool, she'll let us know.”

CM Punk and Lee have been married since 2014, according to The Sportster. The couple met when they were paired on-screen for a WWE storyline in 2012. Their characters were involved in a love triangle with Daniel Bryan. This on-screen romance led to their real-life relationship.

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