'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
What a year it has been for AJ Lee ever since she got engaged to CM Punk. It was April, last year, when rumours of her leaving WWE were rampant. And now, exactly a year later, it has happened. There is no doubt that she had a remarkable career.While the entire divas division was in turmoil, fans connected to AJ and that led her to become the most over woman in the entire roster. It was quite a stunner to know about her retirement since she returned just a month prior to the delight of many fans. Here are 5 reasons why we’ll miss the former 3-time Divas champion.
#5 That streak of rebellion
In the past one year, she’s been controversy’s favorite child. And there was nothing better than her speaking out about the gender inequality faced by female performers in the WWE roster. It was brilliant, brave and awesome.
There was no diva in the WWE as over as AJ Lee and you loved her for the fact that when she won the Slammy for Diva of the Year in 2014, she mentioned names like Emma, Paige, Charlotte, Bayley and Sasha Banks and hoped that they’ll succeed in revitalizing the division and make her proud. There were reports that some were not happy at this speech, but you agreed with her shout-outs.
#4 Encore
She was the best promo worker from the entire divas division and one of the best in the entire roster. Even if it was a backstage segment, an in-ring promo or on the ramp or on commentary, she was hard to ignore.
Her promo on the cast of Total Divas was an instant classic. She said what many felt about most of the cast members and while the audience did not pay much attention to the divas match, they paid attention to what followed and that was Lee coming out and delivering a stellar monologue.
There hasn’t been a riveting speaker from the divas division in a long time. And AJ Lee was a welcome change.
#3 Dream Matches
It’s rather sad that now that we know about talents like Charlotte and Sasha Banks from NXT, we won’t ever be able to see a match between where they face the likes of AJ Lee.
An AJ Lee- Sasha Banks feud may have been an instant classic if given the time and effort working on a storyline. The NXT announcers have themselves once said that Sasha Banks reminds them of AJ Lee because she’s athletic, fast and crafty like her.
It’s a gut punch that this match will never take place.
#2 Promoting talent
It’s rather poetic in retrospect to remember AJ Lee’s last match in the WWE at the Raw after Wrestlemania, She wore a Bayley shirt. That led the crowd to a tremendous ‘We Want Bayley’ chants.
Also, remembering once again, her speech at the Slammy Awards was all about giving shout out to the women from NXT like Emma, Charlotte, Sasha Banks and Paige.
She has been quite vocal about the next crop of talent in ways that have made much more of an impact.
#1 Most Over
She was a character, a wrestler the audience definitely cared about. She was not only the most over performer in her division, she was one of the most over performers in the entire roster. Some of her crazy antics have led her to steal the show from her male counterparts.
Whenever she was around, a reaction was imminent. No wonder her two returns in the past one year led to the biggest reactions of that particular night.
She stood out from the rest- whether it was that way she played her crazy gimmick or the fact that she skips around, she stood out.
The fans cared about AJ Lee, that is a major deal, considering that’s what every wrestler dreams of.
