Union City Native AJ Lee Returns to WWE After 10-Year Hiatus

Union City native AJ Lee made a surprise return to World Wrestling Entertainment on September 5, ending a decade-long absence from the ring.

Lee appeared during an episode of Friday Night SmackDown in Chicago, where she intervened in an ongoing storyline involving her husband, CM Punk.

Following her appearance, Lee signed a new contract with WWE backstage alongside Triple H, the company’s chief content officer. The signing confirmed her official return to professional wrestling after retiring in 2015.

Lee, who grew up in Union City, began her WWE career in 2009 and became a three-time Divas Champion. During her time away from wrestling, she authored the memoir Crazy Is My Superpower in 2017, which became a New York Times bestseller.

Her involvement immediately positioned her in a high-profile storyline leading into WWE’s upcoming Wrestlepalooza event on September 20. The event will also mark WWE’s debut on ESPN’s streaming platform.