AJ Lee has only had one feud since returning to WWE last year. (Credit: Georgiana Dallas/WWE via Getty Images)
WWE via Getty Images
AJ Lee returned to WWE last September, and for the last eight months, sheâs been unable to get rid of the thorn in her side, Becky Lynch.
Although Lee has had a few lengthy TV absences, whenever she has been around, sheâs been feuding with Lynch. It all started with Leeâs first match in more than a decade at Septemberâs WrestlePalooza and reached a turning point at Februaryâs Elimination Chamber, where Lee defeated Lynch to win the Womenâs Intercontinental Championship.
At WWE WrestleMania 42, Lynch looked to both recapture her coveted IC title and finally pick up a victory over her arch-nemesis.
WWE WrestleMania 42 Results For Becky Lynch Vs. AJ Lee
Becky Lynch finally got a modicum of revenge at WWE WrestleMania 42.
Capping off a back-and-forth bout between two of WWEâs biggest stars, âThe Manâ defeated Lee after some shady shenanigans and a Man-Handle Slam to win the WWE Womenâs Intercontinental Championship for the third time.
Here are the key highlights and moments from Lynchâs big win over Lee at WrestleMania 42:
The match spilled to the outside early on, and Lynch sent Lee into the barricade with a fallaway slam. Back inside, Lynch hit a Bexploder suplex. Lynch attempted to take off the top turnpuckle pad, but the ref stopped her. That distracted Lynch and allowed Lee to take control.
Q&A
What were the results of WrestleMania 42?
Becky Lynch won against AJ Lee by cheating during their match.
How did Becky Lynch cheat to win against AJ Lee?
The specifics of the cheating tactics used by Becky Lynch during the match were not detailed.
What is the history of the feud between Becky Lynch and AJ Lee?
The feud began last September when AJ Lee returned to WWE and has been ongoing, with AJ Lee previously defeating Lynch at February's Elimination Chamber.
When did AJ Lee return to WWE?
AJ Lee returned to WWE in September of last year.
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Lee went for a tornado DDT, but Lynch blocked it. Lee hit a baseball slide to take down Lynch and then nailed Lymnch with a missile dropkick off the top rope. Lynch caught Lee as she attempted the Shining Wizard, then slammed her down.
Lynch went for the Manhandle Slam, but Lee reversed into an arm drag. Lee tried to lock in the Black Widow, but Lynch stopped it by smashing Lee into the turnbuckle and got Lee with the Manhandle Slam. It got just a two-count. Lynch counted to argue with the referee, allowing Lee to hit Lynch with a Manhandle Slam of her own for an oh-so-close two-count.
The two stars exchanged strikes as the crowd finally woke up. Lee ultimately locked in the BlackWidow, but got to the rope for a break and then pulled off the corner turnbuckle pad. Lynch pulled the referee in front of her and then sent Lee into the exposed turnbuckle as the ref was unable to see it.
Lynch then hit the Manhandle Slam to get the 1-2-3 and the victory.
WWE WrestleMania 42 Results: Whatâs Next For Becky Lynch And AJ Lee?
Leeâs improbable WWE return was one of the companyâs most shocking moments of 2025, and what was just as surprising was that it was initially reported that she was back âfull-time.â
As it turns out, however, that was not the case. Lee is, as expected, back on a part-time basis after more than a decade away, which will limit WWEâs booking options for her in both the short and long-term futures. This, of course, is nothing new when it comes to big-name superstars, with the likes of Brock Lesnar, Roman Reigns and others recently performing under limited schedules.
After her loss to Lynch at WrestleMania 42 and a feud that has spanned more than half a year on-and-off, Lee should be written off TV for the time being until she returns months from now for her next feud. With a limited number of appearances for the wildy popular star, WWE will need to carefully pick and choose her next feud and all of her opponents moving forward.
One possibility for a return feud for Lee would be the Judgment Day, which would allow Lee to work with Liv Morgan, Raquel Rodriguez and Roxanne Perez. Other stars who could benefit greatly from having Lee as a foe include Tiffany Stratton, Rhea Ripley and Iyo Sky.
Regardless of who Lee feuds with next, itâs a blessing that sheâs finally moved on her from feud with Lynch. Their rivalry certainly wasnât bad, but it felt never-ending because of Leeâs frequent and lengthy absences. Now that Lynch is the Womenâs Intercontinental Champion while Lee may be off TV again, however, Lynch is free to do what she does best: elevate new talents.
WWE doesnât always follow up when it comes to Lynchâs rivals, but over the past couple of years, sheâs undoubtedly helped elevate the likes of Maxxine Dupri and Lyra Valkyria, among others. Itâs likely that Lynch will do continue to do exactly that moving forward, with a slew of stars ranging from Rodriguez to Stephanie Vaquer potentially sliding in as future opponents.
Lynch has been unselfish in terms of shining the spotlight on others, and WWEâs best bet is to do that again with a rising talent post-WrestleMania. From there, WWE should consider a face turn for Lynch, whoâs heel act is starting to wear a little thin.
With Lee out of her sights after WWE WrestleMania 42, Lynch needs to get back to her roots and return to raising up new stars before transitioning back to a fan favorite.
This article was originally published on Forbes.com
