10 Awesome Wrestlers Who Left WWE FAR Too Soon

There was a time when AJ Lee really was the women's division, as her dominant reigns, popularity and stellar in-ring performances were often a highlight on Raw. She played many roles within her time, from wrestler to Raw General Manager, wowing audiences everywhere with her commitment and character work.

Lee was only part of the main roster from 2011 to 2015, but she won the Divas Championship three times and became well-acclaimed by fans and critics alike. Despite her success, the women's division was still lacking any severity, and always felt underappreciated by the company during this period.

In her book, Crazy is my Superpower, AJ talked about how she made the decision to retire from wrestling thanks to cervical spine damage, and the fact she had achieved all she set out to. She also mentioned that she "felt caught in the middle" between her husband CM Punk and the company after his controversial departure. This likely also bore some significance behind her decision to leave the company behind.

Although she left on her own terms, it's still a shame, because if Lee had hung out for longer she, like Kaitlyn, could have been a part of the women's evolution, which she helped to pave the way for.