• AJ Lee’s Return Drew Huge Numbers
Becky Lynch cost CM Punk the chance to become the World Heavyweight Champion again at Clash In Paris as she interfered in the main event to help her husband Seth Rollins retain the title.
The following night on RAW, the Women’s Intercontinental Champion continuously slapped The Best In The World and disrespected him. This led to rumors of AJ Lee returning on SmackDown to help her husband.
The Allstate Arena sold a huge number of tickets due to the rumors. From wrestlers to fans, everyone was excited for the almost impossible return.
Fightful Select reports that several WWE stars were backstage at SmackDown on Friday night, despite not being scheduled or expected to appear on TV. They came to the show to witness AJ Lee’s return.
The former Divas Champion’s comeback was dubbed as a “curtain sellout,” as several stars came to the entryway to watch what happened on SmackDown.
AJ’s return also drew huge numbers. In the first 24 hours, videos of her return drew a combined 130 million views on social media.
WWE RAW General Manager Adam Pearce confirmed on Sunday that AJ Lee will appear on the red brand tomorrow night.
• Brock Lesnar Breaks Long-Time Tradition In Latest SmackDown Appearance
After making his shocking return at SummerSlam last month, Brock Lesnar showed up on SmackDown this past Friday to crash the John Cena vs. Sami Zayn match and cause chaos.
According to Fightful Select, The Beast Incarnate arrived in Chicago one day before SmackDown. He broke his tradition of arriving for a show on the day of the event with his latest appearance.
The Beast Incarnate is set to face the 17-time World Champion at Wrestlepalooza in Indianapolis in less than two weeks. It will be their final match ever.
• Ted DiBiase Badly Hurt At Atlanta Airport
WWE Hall of Famer Ted DiBiase was recently travelling through the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, where he took a scary fall and suffered some injuries.
While speaking on his Everybody’s Got a Pod podcast, the WWF Legend revealed that he has a bad eye and bruised ribs following the incident, which happened due to a child falling in front of him while playing.
“There were some kids there, and they were playing around, and they were just kids being kids. One of them, like, fell right in front of me, and I had no choice. I was hustling… I did a face bump. I mean, I went down. I went down hard, buddy. I had a, I don’t know if you can see it, a black eye. The rest of it is, it was, it’s my right side.
I have had a broken rib before. And if you have a broken rib, you can’t breathe. And even now, even though there’s nothing broken, I’ve got a really good bruise, but it’s so sore. You talk about the embarrassment, right? The Million Dollar Man, you know, takes a big bump in the Atlanta airport.”
A gate attendant provided The Million Dollar Man with a rag for his bleeding face. Fortunately, he’s doing well now.
• AJPW Wrestler Dies At Age 21
All Japan Pro Wrestling has announced the passing of Taishin Nagao, a 21-year-old rookie who had only recently begun his professional career.
Nagao died on Sunday morning after complications stemming from an accident earlier this year. On May 31, he was struck by a tour bus, suffering severe abdominal trauma that left him in critical condition. While initially treated in intensive care, his condition remained serious throughout the summer.
AJPW stated that his cause of death has not yet been determined and that his body has been turned over to police as part of an ongoing investigation.
In June, the promotion confirmed that Nagao had suffered traumatic shock from the incident and was being monitored in the ICU. A follow-up in July reported that he was still receiving treatment, and several wrestlers and staff had visited him in the hospital with permission from his family. Despite hopes for recovery, Nagao ultimately succumbed to his injuries.
Nagao entered the AJPW dojo in 2024 and made his in-ring debut in October of that year, facing Ryo Inoue. Though his career was brief, his presence was regarded as promising within the promotion’s new generation of talent.
The company released a formal announcement expressing condolences and gratitude to fans for their support, while asking for privacy for Nagao’s family during this difficult time.
