AJ Lee is opening up about the fear she had before stepping back into the world of professional wrestling after a decade away.
While speaking to STATE OF MIND, AJ Lee said one of her biggest concerns was returning to the spotlight and dealing with the pressure that comes with performing in WWE again: “Um, a big fear was coming back to the spotlight and wrestling again.”
AJ explained that her final year in wrestling was extremely difficult behind the scenes. Even though fans saw her as a champion on top of the world, she said her mental health was actually at its lowest point.
“My last year wrestling—we talked about that on the last podcast—there was so much happening in my life, and you have all these eyeballs on you, and it’s really high-stakes and high-pressure performance. My brain was at my lowest when it seemed like I was on the top of the world and I was a champion and all this stuff.”
That is why returning after 10 years away came with real fear. AJ said she had spent that time taking care of herself and becoming the healthiest she had ever felt, so going back into wrestling made her wonder what the pressure would do to her.
“So, taking 10 years and really taking care of myself and feeling the healthiest I’ve ever felt, then being like, ‘Okay, now go back into wrestling,’ I was really scared of like—well, what’s that going to do? What’s that pressure going to do?”
However, AJ said the comeback also showed her how much she had grown. She felt proud because she now has the tools to handle anxiety, whether she wakes up with it or feels it right before walking through the curtain.
“But I felt so proud of myself for like, ‘Oh, I have the tools now.’ If I wake up anxious or I’m anxious behind the scenes and about to go out through the curtain, I know how to work with it.”
AJ made her WWE return on the September 5, 2025 edition of SmackDown, confronting Becky Lynch and taking her out before holding up the Women’s Intercontinental Championship. That comeback led to a months-long run on WWE television, ending when she dropped the title back to Lynch at WrestleMania 42 in April 2026. Reports have stated that she is not currently scheduled for upcoming appearances, though WWE has not closed the door on bringing her back later.
For now, AJ Lee’s comments show that her return was about more than just nostalgia or another title run. It was also about proving to herself that she could face the pressure of wrestling again without losing the progress she fought so hard to build.
What do you think about AJ Lee being so open about her WWE return fears? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.
