Bayley Challenges AJ Lee for Women's IC Title on WWE Raw

Longtime friends and former rivals set to clash for championship on March 16th episode

Mar. 13, 2026 at 6:54pm

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In an interview with Fox News Digital, WWE Superstar Bayley discussed her upcoming match against AJ Lee for the Women's Intercontinental Championship on the March 16th episode of Monday Night Raw. Bayley and Lee have remained close friends outside of the ring over the past decade since their last encounter in 2013, when Lee defeated Bayley to retain the Divas Championship on NXT. Bayley expressed her excitement at the opportunity to face Lee again, as well as her desire to complete her 'grand slam' of titles by capturing the Women's IC belt.

Why it matters

The match between Bayley and AJ Lee represents a highly anticipated 'dream match' for WWE fans, pitting two of the company's top stars of the 2010s against each other for championship gold. It also marks Lee's first WWE appearance since departing the company shortly after WrestleMania in 2015, adding an extra layer of intrigue and nostalgia to the proceedings.

The details

In the interview, Bayley revealed that she and Lee have maintained a close friendship over the years since their last on-screen clash, and that Lee's return to WWE came as a surprise even to Bayley. Bayley also expressed her desire to capture the Women's Intercontinental Championship, which would complete her 'grand slam' of titles in WWE.

  • Bayley and AJ Lee last competed against each other on the August 21, 2013 episode of NXT, with Lee emerging victorious.
  • AJ Lee departed WWE shortly after WrestleMania in 2015.
  • The match between Bayley and AJ Lee for the Women's Intercontinental Championship will take place on the March 16, 2026 episode of Monday Night Raw.

The players

Bayley

A popular WWE Superstar who has held multiple championships, including the Raw Women's Championship and SmackDown Women's Championship.

AJ Lee

A former WWE Divas Champion and one of the most successful female wrestlers of the 2010s, who is making a surprise return to the company.

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What they’re saying

“It just seems like one of those things where she would just come back as a one time, dream match type thing. And even when she did come back, and I've told this to her, I was just happy to have her around. We've kept in touch these last 10 years and been actual friends outside of the business and just to think that now I get to be in the ring with her, I wasn't like, 'I need to have a match with you,' because I got my match. I just wanted to have my friend around and the fact that we got to do this now, it just seems right. Now, I'm like, 'Of course we're supposed to have this match together.'”

— Bayley

“I would love, love, love to win this championship because I have to finish my grand slam role. I gotta get this one. I gotta get to the United States one, and I gotta get to WrestleMania. So, I have a lot of feelings going into this, and I kinda have to put aside the nostalgia feeling of it.”

— Bayley

What’s next

The match between Bayley and AJ Lee for the Women's Intercontinental Championship will take place on the March 16, 2026 episode of Monday Night Raw, which will air live from the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas.

The takeaway

The highly anticipated clash between longtime friends and former rivals Bayley and AJ Lee represents a 'dream match' for WWE fans, as well as an opportunity for Bayley to complete her 'grand slam' of titles in the company. The match also marks Lee's first WWE appearance in over a decade, adding an extra layer of nostalgia and intrigue to the proceedings.