AJ Lee's WrestleMania return reflects more than a decade of change

AJ Lee returned to WWE last September and will face Becky Lynch in her first WrestleMania singles match while holding the Women's Intercontinental Championship.

AJ Lee's appearance on the WrestleMania 42 card highlights a personal and industry-long arc. She left WWE in 2015 and stepped away from wrestling for much of the following decade. Lee returned last September and has been woven into storylines involving her husband, CM Punk, and Becky Lynch. She enters WrestleMania in a singles match while holding the Women's Intercontinental Championship. What we know: - AJ Lee left WWE in 2015 and largely removed herself from wrestling for years. - She returned last September and became part of an on-screen storyline tied to CM Punk, Seth Rollins, and Becky Lynch. - Lee defeated Becky Lynch at Elimination Chamber to win the Women's Intercontinental Championship. - WrestleMania 42 will mark Lee's first singles match at WrestleMania. - Lee is recognized for her role in the early movement toward expanded opportunities for women in WWE and has been welcomed warmly by current talent. Summary: Lee's return and WrestleMania singles match underscore the changes in WWE's women's division since she left, and they connect her early advocacy to the opportunities now on display. The match outcome is undetermined at this time.