AJ Lee is back in WWE after a decade out of the ring. (Credit: Rich Wade/WWE via Getty Images)
WWE via Getty Images
WWE WrestlePalooza 2025 was one of the most highly anticipated events in recent WWE history, thanks in large part to the shocking return of AJ Lee and her red hot feud with Becky Lynch.
Two weeks ago on SmackDown, Lee surprisingly returned to WWE after a decade-long absence, joining forces with her real-life husband CM Punk in his fight against Lynch and her husband Seth Rollins. Since Lee’s blockbuster return, she and Lynch had engaged in some wildly entertaining verbal sparring en route to WrestlePalooza.
It was inside the Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis that Lee, in her first match since March 2015, united with Punk to battle Lynch and Rollins in one of the most star-studded mixed tag team matches of all-time at WWE WrestlePalooza.
WWE WrestlePalooza 2025 Results for AJ Lee and CM Punk vs. Seth Rollins
WWE WrestlePalooza 2025 turned out to be the perfect homecoming for Lee, who left Indianapolis with her first victory in more than 10 years.
Lee and Punk were able to topple the dastardly duo of Lynch and Rollins when Lee forced Lynch to tap out to the Black Widow submission. That capped off an exciting mixed tag team match in which the WWE fans inside Gainbridge Fieldhouse were, as expected, in a frenzy for Lee’s seemingly improbable return.
Here are some of the biggest highlights and moments from Lee and Punk’s victory over one half of The Vision stable:
- Lee wanted to start the match, but she refused so Punk and Rollins started as the crowd chanted “CM Punk! CM Punk!” Lynch tagged in and then smacked Punk around as the crowd chanted “GTS!” Punk tagged in Lee, and Lynch avoided her, punched Punk, ran out of the ring, back in and tagged in Rollins.
- Back on the outside, Punk hit a suicide dive on Rollins and then tossed him into the crowd. Back in the ring, Lynch and Rollins got the referee distracted as Lynch choked Punk behind the ref’s back. Lee then returned the favor on Rollins.
- Punk dominated Rollins for a couple of minutes, but Rollins responded with a pedigree attempt, which Punk reversed into a GTS attempt. Lynch hit Rollins in the back as he ran into the ring ropes, and then with the ref distracted again, she sent Punk into the ring steel ring steps.
- Rollins laid a beat down on Punk before Punk hit a suplex to level the playing field. He nearly got the hot tag to Lee, but Rollins interfered. Punk finally got the hot tag, but the distracted ref didn’t see it. that allowed Rollins to attempt to toss Lynch onto Punk, but Punk moved and Lynch crashed into the match.
- Punk once again almost got the hot tag, but Lynch pulled Lee off the apron at the last second and Rollins hit a Falcon Arrow on Punk. Rollins mocked Lee’s signature skip, and that allowed Punk to hit Rollins with a huge GTS out of nowhere.
- Lynch tried to prevent Punk from getting the hot tag, but Punk blew Lynch a sarcastic kiss and got the tag anyway. Lee nailed Lynch with a Thesz Press and 10 punches in the corner, but Lynch went for a powerbomb until Lee wiggled out with a hurricanrana, a spin kick and a cross body block. The crowd chanted, “You still got it!” for Lee.
- Lee repeatedly smacked Lynch with windmill punches, but Rollins interfered. Lee attacked Rollins with some more slaps, then pushed off Rollins for a tornado DDT on Lynch. Lee went for a wheelbarrow bulldog on Rollins, and Punk helped her hit a Sliced Bread Number Two on Rollins and she landed on Lynch.
- Lee and Punk hit random bulldogs and shining wizards on Lynch and Rollins. Lee attempted to lock in the Black Widow submission, Lynch wiggled out and went for the Disarm-Her. The two exchanged pins, but Lee was ultimately able to lock in the Black Widow as Punk locked in the Sharpshooter on Rollins.
- Rollins escaped and super kicked Punk. Rollins picked up Lee and went for a slam, but Lee reversed into a Black Widow on Rollins. Lynch broke it up and hit a Bexploder Suplex. Rollins and Lynch hit double pedigrees on their opponents and went for a double cover, but they both kicked out. The crowd chanted, “This is awesome!”
- Lynch and Rollins went for the GTS simultaneously, but Punk was able to knock Rollins out of the ring. That allowed Lee to hit a Bexploder Suplex of her own on Lynch. Rollins grabbed Lee’s leg, tripped her up and sent her to the ground. Punk hit a Stomp on Rollins and then beat him down viciously.
- Lynch slapped Punk repeatedly, but he finally stopped her and grabbed her leg. He teased a Sharpshooter on Lynch, but Rollins interfered and broke it up. Lynch locked in a Sharpshooter of her own on Punk, who countered into a Figure Four leg lock, then rolled back into a Sharpshooter. Rollins came back in and hit Punk with a Pedigree and a Stomp.
- Lee broke it up with a Stomp on Rollins, and Lynch hit a Manhandle Slam on Lee, who kicked out right before the three-count. Lee and Lynch exchanged blows in the ring, Punk and Rollins broke it up and exchanged blows of their own, then all four stars went at it. Lee and Punk tossed their opponents outside.
- Punk and Lee cleared off both announce tables. Punk and Lee attempted to hit their finishers, but Lynch and Rollins reversed. Punk hoisted up Rollins on his shoulders for the GTS, but Lynch tossed Lee into Punk, causing Punk and Rollins to crash through the announce table.
- Lynch rolled Lee back into the ring and went for the Manhandle Slam, but Lee countered into the Black Widow. Lynch tapped out, giving the babyfaces the victory.
That victory was Lee’s first win since the March 30, 2015 episode of Monday Night Raw, where she teamed with Paige and Naomi to defeat Natalya and the Bella Twins before retiring.
WWE WrestlePalooza 2025 Results: What’s Next for AJ Lee, CM Punk, Seth Rollins and Becky Lynch?
Lynch’s loss at WWE WrestlePalooza 2025 was Lee’s big gain.
Over the past couple of weeks, Lee had made her intentions clear: she was coming for Lynch’s Women’s Intercontinental Championship. Well, after submitting Lynch at WrestlePalooza, Lee, who has signed a full-time deal, certainly can lay claim to getting a future shot at the Intercontinental title.
That highly anticipated dream match between Lynch and Lee would seemingly fit best for the upcoming Crown Jewel PLE in October or Survivor Series in November. There’s a slim chance that WWE does that match on an upcoming episode of Raw, but what’s more likely is that Lee is ultimately the one who dethrones Lynch, whether that be at Crown Jewel or Survivor Series.
Ultimately, however, Lee’s presence in the IC title scene and her feud with Lynch will work wonders in terms of raising the prestigious of that championship, which won’t feel like just a midcard title with arguably the top two stars in the women’s division fighting for it. Just as it appears that Lynch and Lee are going to continue their rivalry for weeks, if not months, the same is true of Rollins and Punk.
The two stars have been virtually joined at the hip since Punk’s shocking Survivor Series 2023 return, but they don’t appear to be going their separate ways anytime soon. While there is speculation this feud could extend all the way to WrestleMania 42 next year, WWE would have a tough time doing that.
Instead, Punk and Rollins could and should be on a collision course toward a singles match at Crown Jewel, likely with Rollins retaining in cheap fashion. That could pave the way for either a rematch at Survivor Series or a WarGames match pitting Team Punk against Team Rollins.
With neither star pinned in the finish at WWE WrestlePalooza 2025, their rivalry is, well, far from finished itself.