AJ Lee has broken her silence following her shocking WWE return on Friday Night SmackDown. The former three-time Divas Champion took to social media to thank fans, saying their reactions “made her year.”

Lee shocked the wrestling world when she returned in her hometown of Chicago on September 5, standing side-by-side with her husband CM Punk after taking down Becky Lynch. The moment sent the crowd into a frenzy and quickly blew up online.

On Monday, Lee shared a compilation of streamer and YouTuber reactions on her X account, spotlighting the fans’ pure excitement. She even singled out one video, calling it “the cutest thing she’d ever seen besides Larry,” a nod to her and Punk’s dog.

AJ Lee’s comeback is one of the biggest stories of 2025, marking her first WWE appearance since her retirement in 2015 due to a neck injury. In the years away, she built a career as an author and mental health advocate, with many fans believing she would never return to wrestling.

Her return now places her directly in the center of WWE’s hottest storyline: CM Punk vs. Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch. The feud is heading toward a mixed tag team showdown at the inaugural Wrestlepalooza on Saturday, September 20. Before then, AJ Lee will join Punk on tonight’s Raw for a face-to-face confrontation with their rivals.

you all made my year https://t.co/Z4M8ejYlyk

, AJ Mendez (@TheAJMendez) September 15, 2025

my dark heart cannot take this https://t.co/PkJzbjoI2B

, AJ Mendez (@TheAJMendez) September 15, 2025