CJ Perry (Lana) was hired by WWE in 2013 and filled many roles during her time in company, serving as a manager, personality, and wrestler.
Perry was involved in angles and segments ranging from weddings to dance battles, but she never held championship gold during her time in WWE. She was eventually released in June 2021.
Speaking to Liam Stewart of ITR Wrestling, Perry discussed her release from the company and potential return to wrestling.
"My time with WWE finished right before the fans came back in full capacity. That was a little bit difficult for me to see. [The fans] is why I do it. It's worth all the struggle, all the disappointment, all the time on the road and away from your family. That's worth it. That's the part...I feel like I miss my drug. Sometimes, I'm fiending and I get moody and angry sometimes. I realize it's because I miss doing what I love so much. It's really important to me, when I return back to wrestling, I want it to be meaningful and impactful. I don't want to do something half ass and mediocre," she said.
Perry continued, reflecting on her time in WWE and her various storylines.
"In WWE, I was always a company girl. Whatever Vince wanted, whatever the company wanted. At the end of the day, and maybe this is because I came from acting and where, at the end of the day, you're an actor and it's your job to figure out whatever story, plot, even if it doesn't make sense to you, it's your job to make it make sense. Since I came from that mentality, I never said no to anything. I was always like, 'Okay, yeah, that doesn't make sense at all, but I'll figure it out.' I was always able to figure it out. I've been dragged through the mud on the internet for stories that I didn't write. I was just trying to grab the brass ring. Many times, I did. The stuff with Bobby Lashley, Dolph (Ziggler), Miro, the numbers don't lie. I know people like scandal, so maybe it's that as well. I'd have dance battles with Trinity [Naomi] that are 15 million views. Matches with Charlotte that are 29 million views. Crazy numbers. It hurt me a little bit to commit so much to something with my whole heart and spend all my off days on the road. Even in the pandemic, when people are living at home, I was living in a hotel room for 150 days by myself, away from my husband, training with Nattie [Natalya] and TJ (Wilson). I felt I gave so much and what I got in return...look, life isn't fair. There's always someone less who is treated worse and I understand that, but I got really burned out. I was like, 'I worked my ass off and they let me go.' I had given everything," she said.
Perry continued, discussing the backlash from the segments and wrapping up with a final comment touching on a potential return to wrestling.
"A lot of fans were really appreciative, but from the people that write, the journalists are the people who would drag me through the mud. 'You're the worst storyline of the year.' We're the most watched storyline of the year. Rolling Stone being like, 'They were the worst story of the year.' No, we were the most watched story of the year. I was like, 'I need a break.' I've given everything I have in me and to be treated like that, cool, I'm going to take a breather and I'm going to pursue these other passions that I love and these other dreams and goals that I put on hold because I've been doing this, not even 300 days of the year, 325 days of the year because I would do so much more like go to NXT on my off days when we were still shooting Total Divas and Raw and SmackDown. I miss the fans, the people, the adrenaline rush, and I would absolutely love to return and be part of something that is iconic. If it's not iconic, I'm good. I'll be a fan," she said.
Perry was advertised for Wrestling Entertainment Series in a match against Lina Fanene (Nia Jax in WWE), but she was pulled from advertising before the event, which was scheduled for July 9, was ultimately canceled.
Perry is currently focusing on content for CJPerry.com and other ventures.
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