The conflict that has intertwined CM Punk, Seth Rollins, and Becky Lynch began physically this past Sunday at Clash in Paris. During Punk’s challenge for the World Heavyweight Championship, a disguised Lynch emerged from the crowd to deliver a low blow, directly leading to Rollins securing the victory and retaining his title.
The interference immediately ignited speculation among fans about a potential return for Punk’s wife, former WWE champion AJ Lee, who has been away from the ring for over nine years. Punk himself seemed to encourage the idea, acknowledging a fan’s sign calling for her return during the event. The possibility was later discussed openly by the official post-show panel, lending it further credibility.
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On the following night’s Raw in Paris, CM Punk opened the show to address the attack. He was quickly interrupted by Lynch, who directly addressed the crowd’s chants for AJ Lee by stating, “she doesn’t work here anymore.” The segment escalated when Lynch slapped Punk multiple times. Punk did not retaliate physically but warned her she would regret her actions.
Later in the show, the narrative took an unexpected turn. A furious Punk was seen backstage asking Raw General Manager Adam Pearce about the location of the next SmackDown, which will take place in his hometown of Chicago this Friday. Punk’s cryptic response of “Tremendous” suggested he intended to bring support.
However, that support might not be who fans were expecting. A subsequent backstage segment showed Punk in a conversation with Rhea Ripley, with whom he has a known off-screen friendship. With Ripley not currently involved in a major storyline, the on-screen interaction has positioned her as a legitimate candidate to even the odds for Punk against Lynch and Rollins.
While the story on television now points toward Ripley, a return for AJ Lee remains a significant topic of internal discussion. According to Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful Select, talks surrounding Lee have gained “more traction than in previous years.” This was supported by Jon Alba of The Takedown, who confirmed her name has been brought up in creative meetings. A high-level source within WWE reportedly told Fightful that the company has few concerns about a potential return, noting Lee’s physical condition and citing the successful comeback of her husband after a similarly long absence.
