Sad news fans for WWE fans everywhere:
BREAKING: AJ Lee (April Mendez) has decided to retire from in-ring competition with WWE. We wish AJ the very best.
— WWE (@WWE) April 3, 2015
After all of the speculation and rumors surrounding her relationship with WWE, three time Divas champion, AJ Lee has made her split from WWE official. There had been whispers going around the company for sometime that Lee was unhappy with her roles and her competition. She made waves on social media earlier this year when she called out Stephanie McMahon about gender equality in the company:
@StephMcMahon Your female wrestlers have record selling merchandise & have starred in the highest rated segment of the show several times,
— A.J. (@WWEAJLee) February 25, 2015
@StephMcMahon And yet they receive a fraction of the wages & screen time of the majority of the male roster. #UseYourVoice
— A.J. (@WWEAJLee) February 25, 2015
It also makes sense seeing as her real-life husband, CM Punk recently jumped ship for a UFC career. Coincidentally, Lee was also one of the few Divas not to be featured in the Total Divas reality show on E!
To say the writing was on the wall would be an understatement.
[h/t WWE]