AJ Lee did not make an appearance in this year’s Royal Rumble, but her absence was never expected to derail plans for a major WrestleMania 42 moment.
While several names on the WWE roster have expressed interest in eventually stepping into the ring with Lee, the marquee singles opportunity at WrestleMania is currently lined up for Becky Lynch.
Current plans call for AJ Lee to challenge Becky Lynch for the Intercontinental Championship at WrestleMania 42. The match has reportedly been on the table for months, dating back to the early stages of their rivalry that began in October. Lee being left out of the Royal Rumble was said to be intentional, as there was little to gain from placing her in the match given the direction already mapped out for WrestleMania.
The bout has been viewed internally as one of the more stable matches pencilled in for the card, with expectations remaining unchanged as WrestleMania season progresses.
Since returning to WWE in September 2025, Lee has only competed twice. Her most recent appearance came inside WarGames at Survivor Series, where she took part in the women’s WarGames match. WrestleMania 42 would mark her first singles match in a WWE ring in more than a decade, adding further significance to the proposed title clash.
At present, the only officially announced match for WrestleMania 42 is CM Punk defending the World Heavyweight Championship against Roman Reigns. WWE has yet to confirm which night that match will take place, although recent indications suggest it is planned to headline night two.
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