Jim Ross on AJ Lee's Possible WWE Return Amid Wrestlepalooza Rumors

AJ Lee looks set to return to WWE after a decade away from the company. Legendary commentator Jim Ross is a big fan of the 38-year-old and hopes to see her wrestle again soon.

Lee worked for WWE from 2009 to 2015 before retiring from in-ring action. It has been speculated that she could team up with her husband CM Punk against Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins at Wrestlepalooza on September 20. Those rumors were seemingly confirmed by the WWE Shop X account, which mentioned Lee's return in a since-deleted post.

Ross spoke to host Conrad Thompson on his Grilling JR podcast about Lee's status in the wrestling business. Reflecting on her first WWE stint, the Hall of Famer only had positive things to say about the three-time Divas Champion.

"I was a fan of her work," Ross said. "I thought she did a great job. She was always in good shape. She learned well. It's a new star. It's not a new star, but a star that certainly has built up anticipation for her return, and she's got that brain of CM Punk, access to that, which is a good thing. Any star that's got name identity, and she has name identity, and who she's married to doesn't hurt nothing, hasn't hurt anything."

Despite being a RAW roster member, CM Punk will appear on the September 5 episode of SmackDown in his hometown of Chicago, Illinois. The location has led many to believe that AJ Lee could return during the show to set up a Wrestlepalooza match.

Jim Ross wishes AJ Lee all the best

During her initial six-year WWE run, AJ Lee became one of the most popular stars in the company. She held the Divas Championship for a then-record 295 days before Nikki Bella surpassed the tally with a 301-day reign.

In Jim Ross' opinion, AJ Lee's rumored return can only be a good thing for the wrestling industry.

"She's a unique character, unique facial expressions, unique body language. She's athletic. I'm a little bit surprised that she's jumping back in the game, but not totally. I'm not shocked. Makes sense to me, so I wish her well. Good girl, pleasant, and I'm pulling for her. I hope she does a great job. It never hurts in the business to get somebody back that has been a star, and now we'll see where it takes us. I'm pulling for her. Anything new and significant is a good thing for pro wrestling."

Lee has not wrestled since the March 30, 2015, episode of RAW. She joined forces with Naomi and Paige that night to defeat Natalya and The Bella Twins.

Please credit Grilling JR and give an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription if you use quotes from this article.

About the author

Danny Hart is a journalist who has been reporting on pro wrestling (WWE) at Sportskeeda since 2017. He grew up as a massive fan of football/soccer and wrestling, leading him to pursue a career in sports journalism.

Before assuming his current role, Hart worked as a football writer at Goal.com between 2009 and 2016. He prides himself on writing original content that is fact-based and highly accurate. Hart thoroughly proofreads his work before submitting it and relies only on credible sources for information.

Hart’s favorite pro wrestler is The Undertaker. He admires the 2022 WWE Hall of Famer’s ability to reinvent his character and remain relevant across his decades-long career. If given the keys to WWE’s creative department, he would bring back The Phenom for a farewell bout against AJ Styles in a stadium full of fans. Not only that, but he would love to have the multi-time world champion’s greatest rivals seated at ringside for the spectacle.

When not watching and covering sports, Hart enjoys long-distance running, playing video games, and listening to audiobooks and podcasts.

Know More

Edited by Danny Hart