WWE Accidentally Confirms AJ Lee’s Return Ahead of Wrestlepalooza

The rumored return of AJ Lee may have been spoiled — not by dirt sheets, not by cryptic teases on TV, but by WWE itself.

As Wrestling.news previously reported, speculation has been running hot that AJ Lee would step back into the ring for the first time in over a decade following the dramatic ending of Clash in Paris. Now it seems those rumors have legs — thanks to a slip-up from the official WWE Shop account on X.

The Slip That Broke X

In a now-deleted reply to a fan asking about new AJ Lee merch ahead of SmackDown in Chicago, the WWE Shop account stated that gear was being prepared “with AJ Lee’s return to the ring” and would hopefully be ready in time for Wrestlepalooza.

The post was quickly scrubbed, but not before fans grabbed screenshots and spread the word like wildfire. The deletion has only fueled speculation, with many wondering if someone at WWE Shop just cost themselves a job by leaking one of the biggest surprises WWE had lined up.

Original reply from @WWEShop has since been deleted, here is the original X post with the question to the official WWE merch account.

The Storyline Connection

The timing lines up perfectly. At Clash in Paris, Becky Lynch interfered in the World Heavyweight Title main event, low-blowing CM Punk and helping her husband Seth Rollins retain his championship. The next night on Raw, Punk warned Lynch, “You will regret laying your hands on me,” which only added fuel to the fire.

With Wrestlepalooza less than three weeks away — and WWE confirming CM Punk will speak on SmackDown this Friday in his hometown of Chicago — the stage looks set for a blockbuster mixed tag match: CM Punk & AJ Lee vs. Seth Rollins & Becky Lynch.

Wrestling.news | Backstage Take

This is the kind of accidental reveal that drives Triple H crazy but fans love. WWE Shop essentially did what the wrestling community has been buzzing about since Clash in Paris: confirm that AJ Lee is lacing up her boots again. While WWE would have surely preferred to save this moment for SmackDown in Chicago or a Wrestlepalooza shocker, the buzz is now unstoppable. If this really is AJ’s return, it’s one of the biggest moments of 2025 — and it adds serious firepower to Wrestlepalooza’s card. It’s worth noting that Triple H and WWE Creative have a history of pivoting quickly whenever surprises get leaked online. Until AJ Lee actually steps foot back on WWE programming, nothing is guaranteed. As always, we’ll continue to track this story closely and deliver every breaking update right here at Wrestling.news. 

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