Real-Life Loves
Get to Know WWE Star CM Punk’s Wife AJ Lee & Their Love Story That Started in the Ring
CM Punk (Phillip Brooks) and AJ Lee (April Jeanette Mendez) are one of wrestling’s power couples. Although Lee retired from the WWE shortly after tying the knot with CM Punk, they are still widely regarded as an iconic WWE duo.
CM Punk’s WWE career ended in 2014, but he returned to the organization in 2023, and now performs for the RAW brand. Of course, he has the unwavering support of his longtime love amid his career. Scroll down for everything to know about their relationship.
How did CM Punk and AJ Lee meet?
The couple met after Lee started becoming involved in WWE romance angles. She got her big break when she was involved in a storyline with Daniel Bryan. When Bryan made it to the main event, Lee was part of the story, which is when she first interacted with CM Punk in 2012. The trio eventually became involved in a WWE love triangle.
Away from the ring, CM Punk and Lee developed a romantic connection. They went public with their relationship in 2013.
In her memoir, Lee recalled kissing her now-husband for the first time in the ring. “His character was frustrated and confused and began to ask me what it was I wanted attention for,” she wrote. “I lunged forward, pulled his face to my minuscule height, and put my lips on his, shutting him up. And then something bad happened.”
She continued, “We’re kissing! We’re not supposed to be kissing! my brain screamed at my body. I steadied myself by grabbing his neck and considered pulling away to save the integrity of the segment. Just get out now, it’ll sort of be what they wanted. OK, one…two…is that his f**king tongue?! There is an unwritten rule in on-screen kisses: no godda** tongue. Tongue makes the moment too intimate, too real. For a moment I felt violated. Then I was infuriated. Then I was immediately very okay with it. Phil put his arm around my waist and pulled me tight to his body. I clawed at his shoulder. Every single person in that building disappeared. It was the best kiss of my entire life.”
When did CM Punk and AJ Lee get married?
The two tied the knot in June 2014. Their wedding was an intimate affair, but there was a slight hiccup to the big day.
“The day of my wedding I got a FedEx in the mail. It was my termination papers [from the WWE]. I was fired,” CM Punk shared. “I was fired on my wedding day.” However, he said he did not let the news affect his big day. “I put that s**t on the backburner because I don’t care about the money and I’m more focused on my new life, my wife.”
They renewed their vows in 2023.
Who is AJ Lee?
AJ Lee is a former professional wrestler who’s a three-time WWE Divas champion. She began her wrestling training at the age of 20 after dropping out of college because her family couldn’t afford it. She made her main roster WWE debut in 2011 after competing on the NXT circuit.
Since retiring from wrestling, Lee wrote a memoir in 2017 and created her own production company called Scrappy Heart Productions. She’s also a mental health advocate (Lee was diagnosed with bipolar disorder in her early 20s).
But could she return to the WWE? “It’s a workload thing for her,” Punk said on the Cheap Heat podcast in November 2024. “She’s very, very busy. I’m not trying to not talk about it, but I’m also trying to temper people’s expectations. If she wraps up some stuff that she’s working on and she has the time, and she feels like dipping her toe back in or jumping back in the pool, she’ll let us know.”
