April Jeanette Mendez, known professionally as AJ Lee, is an American author, screenwriter, and retired professional wrestler. She gained prominence during her time in WWE as AJ Lee. Recognized for her unique persona and wrestling style, she became a three-time WWE Divas Champion. Since retiring from professional wrestling, Mendez has focused on her writing career, including authoring a memoir and working as a screenwriter.
On March 19, 1987, April Jeanette Mendez, later known as professional wrestler AJ Lee, was born. She is also an author and screenwriter.
In 2005, she graduated from Memorial High School in West New York, New Jersey.
In March 2007, Mendez enrolled in a wrestling school near her home and began training with Jay Lethal.
In 2007, Mendez began her professional wrestling career in the independent circuit in New Jersey.
In October 2008, she joined the New Jersey-based promotion Women Superstars Uncensored (WSU).
In February 2009, Miss April and Brooke Carter won the WSU Tag Team Championship.
In May 2009, Mendez paid to attend a WWE tryout camp and subsequently signed a contract with the company.
In February 2010, AJ Lee defeated Serena Mancini to win the Queen of FCW title.
In September 2010, AJ Lee participated in the third season of NXT, a show mixing professional wrestling and reality competition formats.
In April 2011, AJ Lee lost the FCW Divas Championship to Aksana.
On May 27, 2011, AJ Lee made her main roster debut on SmackDown as part of a tag team with Kaitlyn, known as "The Chickbusters".
By November 2011, AJ Lee was featured in an on-screen relationship with Daniel Bryan.
On January 13, 2012, AJ Lee was accidentally knocked down by Big Show during Daniel Bryan's title defense on SmackDown.
In 2012, AJ Lee rose to prominence in WWE through storylines featuring her "mentally unstable" character, high-profile relationships, and a stint as the General Manager of Raw.
In 2012, AJ Mendez became the first female winner of WWE's annual Superstar Challenge video game tournament, competing in WWE '12 at WrestleMania XXVIII Axxess.
In March 2013, AJ Lee's storyline rivalry with ex-boyfriend Daniel Bryan was reignited backstage.
On April 22, 2013, AJ Lee won a battle royal to become the number one contender to Kaitlyn's WWE Divas Championship.
In January 2014, AJ became the longest-reigning Divas Champion at the time.
On June 13, 2014, AJ Mendez married fellow professional wrestler Phillip Brooks, known as CM Punk.
In 2014, AJ Lee won the Slammy Award for Diva of the Year and was voted Woman of the Year by Pro Wrestling Illustrated readers.
In February 2015, AJ Mendez criticized WWE's treatment of its female wrestlers, highlighting disparities in pay and screen time.
On April 4, 2017, Mendez's memoir, Crazy Is My Superpower: How I Triumphed by Breaking Bones, Breaking Hearts, and Breaking the Rules, was published by Crown Archetype.
In 2018, Mendez was awarded NAMI's Multicultural Outreach Award for her advocacy for mental health awareness.
In November 2019, Mendez and Aimee Garcia's first project, the comic book series GLOW vs. The Babyface based on the television series GLOW, was published by IDW Publishing.
In 2019, AJ Lee's WWE character was portrayed by Thea Trinidad in the film Fighting with My Family.
In November 2020, the first issue of the Dungeons & Dragons four-issue limited series At the Spine of the World, co-written by Mendez and Aimee Garcia, was published by IDW.
In 2020, Mendez made the Black List's inaugural Latinx TV list for her television pilot script, Home.
In October 2021, Mendez joined Women of Wrestling (WOW) as an executive producer.
In September 2022, AJ Mendez began providing color commentary for WOW's syndicated weekly television program.
In 2022, Mendez, alongside John Swetman, co-wrote the screenplay for the Netflix film Blade of the 47 Ronin.
In August 2023, Mendez announced she would be departing WOW at the end of her season-long contract.
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