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AJ Lee is a WWE Divas icon known for her spunky looks, big heart, and athletic ability in the ring. She made a significant impact on the industry to usher in the Women's Revolution and had a huge influence on the upcoming generation despite only competing for six years in WWE. Many fans look at NXT's Cora Jade, who has a lot of potential in the ring, and are reminded of the former Divas Champion in more ways than one.
The pair are not related by blood, but Jade has mentioned in the past how AJ Lee has inspired her wrestling career. Judging by appearances alone, Jade already looks quite similar to Lee with the same petite build and long, dark locks, although Jade is taller.
Both also share the same edgy style that Lee utilized to make her stand out from the other women during her run. During the cosplay Battle Royal at an NXT Live Event last October, Jade paid homage to her idol; she dressed up in AJ Lee's iconic "Love Bites" shirt to bear a striking resemblance to her.
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"She was kind of the first woman to have all this merch, and none of the other women really kind of got to have that at the time. I feel like she was kind of the first person to start making everybody see women can do all this exact same stuff," said Jade. (3:48-4:02)
Cora Jade now wants to inspire other girls the way Lee inspired her throughout her childhood and constantly mentions the former Women's Champion.
What is AJ Lee doing now?
AJ Lee retired in 2015 over concerns for her physical and mental health. Throughout her wrestling career, she suffered from several injuries that included a herniated disc in her back, which made her realize the potential risks of continuing to compete. In addition to her physical health, she struggled with mental health issues, having been diagnosed with bipolar disorder when she was around 19-20 years old.
Life after WWE has seen her achieve plenty of success. Two years after her retirement, she published her first book titled, Crazy Is My Superpower: How I Triumphed by Breaking Bones, Breaking Hearts, and Breaking the Rules on April 4, 2017. She began writing comic books and moved onto screenplays when she oversaw the post-production process of her Netflix film, Blade of the 47 Ronin, starring Keanu Reeves.
In October 2021, AJ Lee finally returned to the world of professional wrestling when she became part of WOW as an executive producer to better serve the female wrestling community. While she has not ruled out an in-ring return, Lee's main focus at the moment is commentating and producing as she explores her options outside of WWE.
