AJ Lee's Return Promo: Hype Was There, But It Didn’t Quite Land
It’s been more than ten years since AJ Lee last stepped foot in a WWE ring, so when her music hit on WWE Raw, the nostalgia hit hard. For a moment, it felt like we were about to witness something truly special.
Her entrance got the expected pop, and seeing her back—same look, same energy—was genuinely cool.
But then the promo started… and honestly, it didn’t live up to the moment. The delivery felt a little off, like ring rust mixed with promo rust after such a long absence.
The lines didn’t have that signature AJ sharpness we remember, and the exchange with Becky Lynch never really caught fire or created real stakes.
It just kind of… happened. The crowd energy reflected that too—some fans were locked in, but plenty looked more curious than electrified.
And I wasn’t the only one who felt this way! Sports Illustrated might have! Bleacher Report possibly!
Honestly though, right after the segment aired, a lot of fans online had similar reactions:
AJ Lee returned after ten years wearing the exact same outfit she left in and cut one of the worst promos of all time which instantly annihilated her entire aura.”
“the promo was real cringe, they just need to get back into the flow of holding the mic that’s all lol”
“Please, that promo was lame from the 2 of them. There was nothing special to it.”
“This shit was deadass less hype than fucking Miguel’s return what are we doing”
Those are just a few examples—there were plenty more calling it mid, awkward, or flat-out disappointing, even from people who were genuinely excited to see her back.
These aren't isolated comments—there were plenty calling it mid, awkward, or underwhelming, even among people excited for her comeback.
That said, this isn’t the end of the story.
AJ is too talented and too important to the women’s evolution for one shaky promo to define her return. Sometimes these things need a few weeks to find their rhythm—better material, more ring time, a clearer story direction.
The pieces are there for something great (Becky vs. AJ at WrestleMania? Elimination Chamber buildup?).
It just didn’t click on night one. The split makes sense: the surprise factor and potential for a WrestleMania storyline (or Elimination Chamber setup) kept some fans optimistic, but the execution left others cold.
It's tough when a return this anticipated doesn't click right away. AJ's been away a long time—ring rust and promo rust are real, and WWE sometimes struggles to recapture that old magic on the first try.
Hopefully this is just a shaky start, and things pick up with more ring time, sharper material, and a chance to settle in. The foundation is there; it just needs to catch fire.
