This week’s Friday Night SmackDown from Chicago, IL, ended with one of the most emotional returns in recent memory as former Divas Champion AJ Lee made her first WWE appearance in over nine years.
The closing segment began with World Heavyweight Champion Seth Rollins appearing in the crowd to introduce his wife, Women’s Intercontinental Champion Becky Lynch. Lynch entered the ring for a promo but was immediately met with chants of “AJ Lee” from the Chicago faithful. She dismissed the crowd, calling herself the “greatest wrestler of all time” before insulting local sports teams. The jeers grew louder when she declared, “CM Punk sucks.” That’s when Punk’s music hit.
CM Punk entered the ring and told Lynch that the issues between himself and Rollins had nothing to do with her. He defended the crowd’s chants for AJ Lee, telling Lynch that if it bothered her, she shouldn’t have inserted herself into his business. After Punk suggested others who could confront her—like Bayley or even Rhea Ripley—Lynch slapped him across the face, mocking him as Rollins celebrated from his skybox.
As Punk teased walking away, he stopped and said he wouldn’t put his hands on a woman but that he “knows someone who will.” Suddenly, AJ Lee’s music hit, sending the Chicago crowd into a frenzy. Lee stormed to the ring, tackled Lynch with a Lou Thesz Press, delivered repeated punches, and punctuated it with a stinging slap.
Lynch quickly retreated from the ring and escaped to the back with Rollins. The show ended with AJ Lee standing tall beside her husband, CM Punk, as the crowd roared in approval.
This marks AJ Lee’s first WWE appearance since her retirement in 2015, and her return is expected to set the stage for the rumored mixed tag team showdown at Wrestlepalooza on September 20.
Get the full WWE SmackDown results from Chicago’s Allstate Arena, featuring John Cena’s final SmackDown appearance, CM Punk’s hometown return, and all the matches, surprises, and highlights from the September 5, 2025 show.
