AJ Lee Done With WWE — What’s Next for The Black Widow in 2026?
AJ Lee’s 2025–26 WWE Return: A Quick Recap
AJ Lee had been retired since 2015 when she made a shocking return on the September 5, 2025 episode of SmackDown to join CM Punk in a Mixed Tag Team match against Becky Lynch and Seth Rollins. The crowd went absolutely wild — and so did WWE’s ratings.
Over the next several months, Lee and Lynch had one of the best rivalries in recent women’s wrestling. Their feud produced multiple five-star moments and built toward an inevitable showdown on the biggest stage.
The WrestleMania 42 Finish Line
AJ Lee won the Women’s Intercontinental Championship at Elimination Chamber 2026 in Chicago — her hometown — by forcing Becky Lynch to tap to the Black Widow for the third time. The moment was electric.
Then came WrestleMania 42. Night One saw Becky Lynch finally get her revenge, pinning Lee to reclaim the Women’s Intercontinental Championship. In hindsight, it felt like exactly the right ending to a perfectly told story — Lee put over a full-time star at the biggest show of the year.
Since WrestleMania, AJ has not appeared on WWE television.
— AJ Lee, Instagram post (April 2026)
What Are WWE’s Current Plans for AJ Lee?
According to WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select, WWE creative has “effectively done” its current plans for AJ Lee. There are no active storylines or matches scheduled for her right now.
WWE has also officially moved Lee to the “free agent” category on their roster listings — meaning she is not tied to Raw or SmackDown on a weekly basis. This is the same treatment given to other special attraction talents who appear only for major events.
Current Status Summary
- No active WWE creative plans as of May 2026
- Listed as “free agent” on WWE’s official roster page
- Has not appeared since WrestleMania 42 (April 2026)
- Signed a part-time deal when she returned in September 2025
- SummerSlam 2026 return is internally hoped for but not confirmed
Will AJ Lee Return for SummerSlam 2026?
Here’s where it gets interesting. Multiple sources within WWE have expressed internal hope that Lee could resurface for SummerSlam — which in 2026 will be a historic two-night event and the biggest SummerSlam in years.
Lee herself has never said she’s done. Her Instagram post ended with “see you soon” — not goodbye. And sources close to her describe this as a hiatus, not a retirement. She came back on her own terms in 2025, completed her story, and stepped away. That’s very much in character for AJ Lee.
If she does return, the natural question is: who does she target? With Becky Lynch having beaten her clean at WrestleMania, a rematch seems unlikely in the short term. A fresh feud — possibly on the SmackDown side — or even a shot at the Women’s United States Championship could be a compelling next chapter.
AJ Lee is not retired — she’s just done for now. WWE hopes to bring her back for SummerSlam 2026, but nothing is confirmed. If you’re a fan of The Black Widow, watch this space closely over the next couple of months.
