Rusev suffered a head injury during the Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match at WrestleMania 42 on April 19. CJ Perry confirmed the injury following the event at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Perry revealed the extent of the damage during an appearance on TMZ’s Inside The Ring. She described seeing a large bump on Rusev’s head when she met him after the show.
“He has a huge bump on his head… I saw it… his bump was like this big,” Perry said on the show.
Despite the visible injury, Rusev downplayed the situation to his wife.
“I’m like, ‘Are you okay?’ He’s like, ‘I’m fine, I just grazed the ladder,’” Perry added.
She emphasized the physical reality of ladder matches and their toll on performers.
“He’s okay… as okay as you can be after a ladder match… their bodies have been through war,” Perry explained.
WrestleMania 42 Ladder Match Results
Rusev competed against Penta, Rey Mysterio, Je’Von Evans, Dragon Lee, and JD McDonagh in the six-man ladder match. Penta retained the Intercontinental Championship, which he had held since defeating Dominik Mysterio on the March 2 episode of Raw.
The match marked one of Rusev’s first major ladder matches on the WrestleMania stage. He had positioned himself as a dominant force heading into the event but left without the title.
Perry was not ringside for the match but has continued to support Rusev’s WWE run through media appearances. The Bulgarian Brute is now in recovery mode following the physically demanding bout.
CJ Perry delivered a wide-ranging analysis of WWE\’s current landscape during her appearance on TMZ\’s Inside The Ring, making bold predictions for the Royal Rumble, the Undisputed WWE Championship, and naming Becky Lynch as the greatest worker in the business.
When asked about the men\’s Royal Rumble, Perry was emphatic about who needs to emerge victorious.
\”I\’m going to tell you who I think is going to win the Royal Rumble. And it has to be this person. It has to be Gunther,\” she declared.
Perry also highlighted NXT star Oba Femi as a dark horse contender, praising his physical presence. \”I was looking up his height yesterday. He\’s 6\’6. And like 300 lb of solid muscle. It\’s insane.\”
Liv Morgan\’s Historic Year
For the women\’s Royal Rumble, Perry backed Liv Morgan as her winner, pointing to the Judgment Day star\’s dedication and crossover appeal.
\”I think that Liv Morgan is going to win the Royal Rumble. She is fast. She is talented. She trains. She has a professional ring in her backyard in her barn,\” Perry explained. \”She\’s the first woman ever to be in Style, like Style magazine wrote about her gear. That\’s never happened before that a professional wrestler has been crossing over into fashion publications.\”
Perry named Raquel Rodriguez as a potential spoiler, predicting, \”Raquel is going to piss off a lot of people at the Royal Rumble.\” Looking ahead to WrestleMania, she predicted a Raquel vs. Liv Morgan championship match, calling it \”a fight between two best friends and a faction.\”
\”Drew McIntyre will beat Cody Rhodes for the championship in Berlin. He is 6\’4, very girthy, muscular, so tall. I do think he\’s going to crush Cody Rhodes,\” Perry predicted. \”This is Drew\’s time because if it\’s not now, then when is it? If it doesn\’t happen in Berlin, then Wrestlemania it will.\”
She defended Drew\’s use of personal family history in the feud.
\”I love personal story lines. Cody Rhodes is the son of Dusty Rhodes, so I think it\’s totally appropriate. Drew is a heel and he\’s trying to help Cody become even more loved.\”
Becky Lynch Is \’The Greatest Worker\’
Perry named Becky Lynch as the best performer in professional wrestling today, praising The Man\’s theatrical background.
\”Her work is incredible. She\’s always been incredible. I\’ve been a big fan of her since NXT days,\” Perry said. \”You could tell that she was a theater major. She\’s the greatest worker I think out there to be honest.\”
She also praised Austin Theory\’s redemption arc with The Vision, saying \”this business is not a sprint, it\’s a marathon. Do you take your failures and turn them into successes? That\’s exactly what Austin Theory\’s doing right now.\”
On Dominik Mysterio, Perry drew a distinction between his character work and in-ring ability.
\”I would not give Dominic men\’s wrestler of the year. I just don\’t think he\’s technically good enough. Now, I do think he is an iconic WWE superstar. I could maybe give him WWE superstar of the year because that\’s everything.\”
CJ Perry is preparing a return to professional wrestling in 2026, planning to work primarily as a manager and mouthpiece on the independent scene while scouting new “super athlete” talent. She has also been branching into stand-up and other projects to sharpen her mic skills and build her personal brand outside of major promotions.
Former WWE star CJ Perry has announced she will be returning to professional wrestling and plans to hit the independent scene as a manager.
Speaking on TMZ\’s Inside The Ring, Perry revealed her intentions to return to the business that made her famous, with a focus on mic work and managing talent.
\”I\’m making an announcement, okay, that I will be returning back to professional wrestling and I\’m going to be hitting the indie scene,\” Perry said.
\”Definitely on the mic and managing 100%. And that\’s also why I\’m enrolling in standup because I want to be so good on the mic. I want to be so sharp. I want to be so iconic.\”
Perry disclosed that she has already enrolled in standup comedy classes to sharpen her promo skills, with her first standup show scheduled for March 26. She described the show as being \”catered to the wrestling fan base.\”
The former Lana revealed ambitious plans to scout new talent on the indie circuit. \”I\’m going to start going to wrestling events and I\’m going to start searching for the next super athlete,\” Perry explained. \”I\’m going to be traveling. I eventually want to take the podcast on the road.\”
\”What separates this compared to all other professional wrestling schools is that it\’s going to have a really serious children\’s department where we\’re training kids at a very young age to go after their dreams,\” Perry said, noting that \”Catch\” means professional wrestling in Bulgarian.
Perry\’s return to wrestling comes after years away from the ring following her departure from WWE. Her focus on managing and promo work suggests she\’s looking to establish herself as a Paul Heyman-style figure in the independent wrestling scene.
Former WWE star CJ Perry (Lana) shared valuable lessons she learned from working with The Rock and John Cena during her appearance on Insight with Chris Van Vliet.
Perry revealed how The Rock taught her the critical skill of reading crowd reactions during a 2014 Brooklyn appearance. \”Dwayne, John Cena, Big Show, these men are they\’re they\’ve been around for so long and they know how to listen to the crowd and you learn by doing that. There\’s no you can\’t just be taught that,\” Perry explained.
The Rock returned after a two-year absence and completely changed his promo on the fly based on crowd energy. \”He told us he\’s going to tell us when to talk. He\’s gonna give us an eggy to tell it because he\’s like, \’You don\’t want to step on the crowd. You don\’t want to step on it. They\’re going to get louder and they\’re going to get louder,\’\” Perry said.
She credited Rusev\’s natural instincts for understanding the timing, while admitting she initially rushed her delivery. The lesson proved invaluable for maximizing crowd engagement throughout her WWE career.
John Cena\’s Masterclass
John Cena provided another masterclass during the height of \”We Want Lana\” chants at live events. Perry described how Cena methodically positioned her in specific locations around the ring to build crowd reactions strategically.
\”John Cena\’s like, \’Okay, we\’re going to you\’re going to get up on the apron. I\’m going to tell you where to stand.\’ And he would literally go, \’Go here. Go here in the match cuz it\’s getting louder and louder,\’\” Perry recalled.
Learning From The GOAT
Cena\’s first attempt involved having the referee kick Perry out of the match, but the crowd reaction wasn\’t what they wanted. Rather than settle, Cena adjusted the plan. The second attempt had Rusev kick her out instead, which generated a massive response and led to Perry\’s eventual babyface turn.
\”That\’s what I loved about John is like John would always give us always say, \’You have to take calculated risk.\’ And then he\’s like, \’Then if it doesn\’t go as planned, you have to take ownership,\’\” Perry explained.
The approach culminated in a memorable Extreme Rules moment and demonstrated Cena\’s ability to adapt in real-time based on audience feedback. Perry noted these experiences with veteran performers taught her skills that simply cannot be learned in training or rehearsal.
Former WWE star CJ Perry (Lana) revealed significant personal health changes during her recent interview on Insight with Chris Van Vliet, including getting sober and coming off ADHD medication.
\”I also got sober. I stopped drinking. That was a huge part,\” Perry disclosed. \”And I was prescribed prescriptions for my ADHD and I had to come off of that. And that was also a really big change. It is, you know, I it\’s hard for me to read. I\’m very dyslexic. So, I do have other challenges not having medication, but my happiness and my well-being and my relationships are so much better.\”
Her Personal Struggle
Perry explained how her undiagnosed ADHD had severely impacted her marriage and mental health during her WWE run. She described WWE as \”the perfect storm\” for her condition due to the constant travel, new cities, and dopamine hits from performing.
\”I struggled with being very ADHD and severely anxiety anxious and just triggered me into like this manic time of my life that I couldn\’t I didn\’t understand that that was an issue for me,\” Perry said. \”My marriage was suffering from me being severely ADHD and severely anxious.\”
The statistics she shared were sobering. \”I think divorce rate is 50% more in ADHD people. Depression and anxiety is 50% more in ADHD people and suicide is 50% more in ADHD people because nothing\’s good enough and you get bored and you want to move on,\” she explained.
Rock Bottom and Recovery
Perry\’s WWE release in 2021 triggered a mental health crisis. After receiving divorce papers from Miro, she couldn\’t get out of bed for two weeks. A podcast featuring Kendall Jenner discussing anxiety on Jay Shetty\’s show helped Perry finally recognize what she was experiencing.
Her recovery process involved multiple approaches beyond sobriety. Perry started walking 30 minutes daily, eating organic food, attending therapy and acupuncture sessions. She also spent the final two months caring for her 94-year-old grandfather before he passed away last August, which she described as a turning point.
\”It made me that really was a turning point for me too cuz I felt more gratitude and more purpose and love by giving and helping and serving other people than just pushing myself,\” Perry reflected.
While coming off ADHD medication presents challenges with reading due to her dyslexia, Perry emphasized the trade-off has been worthwhile for her overall happiness and relationship quality. She and Miro have since reconciled, with both signing new WWE deals.
Check out CJ Perry\’s new podcast Identity Crisis with co-host Jonathan Saba, and follow her on social media @thecjperry.
CJ Perry (formerly Lana) addressed the controversy surrounding her WWE Legends deal announcement during her appearance on Insight with Chris Van Vliet.
“So, you know, it’s funny because I would say it’s been kind of controversial. One of the biggest things that I had on my podcast last week was announcing that I’m a WWE legend and you thought I like stole their Christmas presents or something, you know, like people were so mad,” Perry said.
“People are like it’s a stretch… I absolutely understand that there’s a huge difference between the character Lana and Randy Savage on the legend scale. You know, I get it. But this is what WWE calls their contracts post, you know, being a full WWE superstar.”
Perry explained that she received the WWE Legends deal simultaneously with Miro’s new WWE contract. When her agent called to inform her, she was shocked and emotional. “I was that shocked too,” she admitted, acknowledging fans’ reactions were understandable.
WWE Legends Deals
The WWE Legends contract covers various opportunities including appearances, video games, action figures, merchandise, and potential future storylines. Perry emphasized this is WWE’s standard designation for post-active performer contracts, regardless of tenure or achievements.
Online wrestling fans debated the announcement extensively, with some defending Perry’s contributions while others questioned whether she qualified for “legend” status. The backlash was significant enough that Perry felt compelled to address it on her new podcast, Identity Crisis.
Back in the WWE Family
Despite the controversy, Perry expressed gratitude for the opportunity. “I’m thankful that I’m a WWE legend,” she said when asked about what she’s most grateful for currently.
Perry’s WWE career included memorable storylines with Rusev (Miro), “Rusev Day,” her involvement in high-profile angles with Bobby Lashley and Liv Morgan, and her record-breaking nine consecutive weeks going through the announce table. She was released from WWE in 2021 alongside Miro and spent eight months in AEW before both returned to WWE under new deals.
The former WWE star also noted that receiving the Legends deal has opened doors for potential future appearances and storylines, though specific plans haven’t been announced. Perry remains training and has stated she’s “always ready” to return to wrestling when called upon.
CJ Perry has revealed that Vince McMahon personally wrote every word of her promos during her decade-long run as Lana in WWE, using her character as a “puppet” for political commentary.
Speaking on TMZ’s Inside The Ring, Perry pulled back the curtain on McMahon’s hands-on approach to her controversial Russian character.
“Vince did micromanage when I was there for that 10 years. Vince micromanaged all the promo. So, John Cena could change it. Bray Wyatt could do his own thing and he could approve. Paul Heyman, but no, Vince wrote my promos,” Perry revealed.
Perry explained that McMahon used her character to express his own political views during the Obama administration era.
“I think he was using me as his puppet to talk about America because once Trump became president, he sat me and Mero down. He’s like, ‘Okay, no more politics.’ He was like, ‘It’s too polarizing and controversial,\’” Perry said.
The former WWE star also disclosed McMahon’s ambitious plans for her character, including hopes of bringing Russian President Vladimir Putin to a WWE event.
“He wanted Vladimir Putin to come to a show. Like hey sky’s the limit you know. He’s like I hope he’s going to come to a show,” Perry shared.
Perry also recalled how TMZ breaking her engagement to Rusev led to immediate creative changes. McMahon pulled the plug on her storyline with Summer Rae and Dolph Ziggler after the news went public.
“TMZ broke that we were engaged, Vince said that TMZ is global CNN news. We’re going to have to cut the story line with you and Summer Rae and Dolph Ziggler and Lana,” Perry recounted.
Despite the intense creative control, Perry noted that Triple H’s current regime offers talent more creative freedom compared to McMahon’s era.
CJ Perry opened up about her sobriety journey and the painful moment when her then-husband Rusev served her divorce papers on her birthday.
In a candid interview on TMZ\’s Inside The Ring, Perry discussed the difficult period that led to major personal changes in her life.
When asked about being served divorce papers on her birthday, Perry is sticking to her story. \”Yeah, of course. Like, I literally have proof, but he still will be like.. I don\’t know,\” Perry revealed.
That low point became a catalyst for Perry to examine her own issues, including her relationship with alcohol.
\”I\’m in recovery and I\’m, you know, I had to quit drinking and change a lot of my own things in my own life and I just realized I was pointing at him about so many things, but really I just needed to work on myself,\” Perry admitted.
She also recognized patterns of codependency that contributed to their marital struggles.
\”I was very codependent to him and I think that was the codependency is what made it really hard for me. So when he would be gone at AEW, it\’s like no, I wanted us to be together all the time like how we were together all the time before and I wasn\’t willing to grow and evolve and give him space and kind of get a life for myself,\” Perry explained.
The personal work paid off, as Perry and Rusev have since reconciled and rebuilt their relationship.
\”We\’re best friends. We just went to Formula 1 this weekend,\” Perry said of their current status.
Perry received support from WWE during difficult times, including a personal call from Stephanie McMahon after the Mickey James incident in 2021.
\”I got a text from Stephanie McMahon. And she was like, \’Are you available to talk?\’ I was so nervous. And then she calls me and I literally wanted to cry. I love Stephanie McMahon so much. And she was just like, \’We\’re family. Like this was really inappropriate what was done and we just want to check in with you,\’\” Perry recalled.
Perry now hosts the Identity Crisis podcast, focusing on reinvention, mental health, and wellness.
Watch the full interview on TMZ\’s Inside The Ring:
CJ Perry is teasing a potential WWE return, revealing that her Lana character is “watching from Siberia” as her ex-husband Rusev competes in John Cena’s 16-man tournament. Speaking on TMZ’s Inside The Ring, Perry played coy about the possibility of Lana appearing alongside Rusev in WWE.
“Rusev is doing his thing but I will say that Lana is watching. From Siberia. Yeah. Lana’s currently watching,” Perry said with a knowing smile.
Perry took particular offense to Dominik Mysterio’s recent victory over Rusev for an Intercontinental Championship opportunity, suggesting it wouldn’t have happened if Lana was present.
“Did you not see how Dom beat him in the Intercontinental Championship? Like, what was the balls? And I’m like, okay, that would have never happened,” Perry said.
She jokingly accused Mysterio of stealing her playbook for heel tactics.
“I think that he got a hold of my Lana journals and he studied Lana’s journals. You know, he’s young, so he studied Lana’s journals. And it’s very clear he’s very smart. Like, Dom was like, he’s so smart,” Perry explained.
When asked if she might appear at Survivor Series this weekend, Perry remained cryptic.
“I mean, you never know. That’s 5 days away. Things change very last minute,” she replied.
Perry clarified that despite previous comments about retirement, she’s far from done with wrestling.
“I think when I said I retired, I was being very sarcastic. I would love to wrestle again,” Perry stated.
She believes she could help elevate Rusev’s current position if given the opportunity.
“Lana knows she can help Rusev. He just needs to call his first ex-husband,” Perry said, referencing their on-screen marriage.
Perry admitted she misses the adrenaline of performing.
“Oh my god. Are you kidding me? I miss it so much. I feel like a drug addict a little bit, you know? There’s no high and no adrenaline rush like that in the world,” she said.
Rusev and CJ Perry are ready to take the next step in their personal lives as the couple hope to start a family through IVF. Appearing on Daria & Toni Unwrapped, Perry shared that she would love to have lots of children and meetings have been held already.
“I would love to have a lot of kids. We’re going through IVF... I would have to have surrogates. I would want to carry a couple and have surrogates at the same time.\”
Perry shared that doctors told her she is \”very good to carry,\” but in the past, hasn\’t felt ready to become a mom. Instead, her priority has been on wrestling, as her career was just starting to take off when she first thought about baby plans.
Now, Perry\’s attitude has changed. Rather than focusing on her career or her desire to be a mom, the former Lana is ready to do it all.
\”I always wanted to be a great mom, but I also wanted to have a great career, 100%. Now I feel like I can focus on that fully. I’m really excited.\”
If Perry becomes a mom, she\’ll join a long list of mothers who are part of the wrestling world. Becky Lynch, Jade Cargill, Alexa Bliss, and Candice LeRae are just some of the Superstars who have laced up their boots and also changed diapers.
In her professional life, Perry parted ways with AEW in 2024 and Rusev returned to WWE in April 2025. As for whether her mom dreams come true, time will tell, but CJ Perry is ready to prove she can do it all in and out of the ring.
CJ \’Lana\’ Perry and Rusev have opened up about their divorce now that they\’ve reconciled, with Perry claiming she was served on her birthday. Appearing together on the Identity Crisis podcast, Perry made her bold claim about the timing of the couple\’s split.
\”He served divorce papers on my birthday, this is shoot. He literally [served papers on my birthday.]\”
Rusev was quick to deny the claim that he served the divorce papers on her birthday. Leaning into their roles in WWE, Miro claimed this was his wife\’s \’storyline\’ and alluded to CM Punk being served his WWE termination papers on his wedding day in 2014.
\”It was not on her birthday. She\’s taking the CM Punk storyline… This is not true though!\”
Now, the pair are back together and Rusev returned to WWE earlier this year. Whether Perry joins him remains to be seen, but the couple are ready to forge on this exciting new chapter of their lives.
Paradigm’s The Sports Group has launched a new book-to-film initiative which will see CJ Perry take a leading role in the first project. Deadline reports that Bulletproof Angel, a high-stakes international spy thriller co-authored by Perry and Blake Northcott, will be the first book to be turned into a film.
Deadline describes Bulletproof Angel like this:
Bulletproof Angel is a high-octane international spy thriller that centers on a brilliant young CIA agent and her estranged mother, a retired operative with a haunted past. They are forced to work together behind enemy lines to stop an AI-powered weapon system capable of triggering global catastrophe.
This collaboration marks the first in a larger content slate spearheaded by Paradigm’s Sports and Publishing divisions, aiming to build franchise-ready stories books, film, and TV. For Perry, Bulletproof Angel is just the start of things to come.
“I’ve always been drawn to stories of espionage, betrayal, and resilience, and building a world around two powerful female operatives was a dream. Blake is an incredible partner, and Bulletproof Angel is just the beginning.”
Northcott is known for Arena Mode and The North Valley Grimoire, and has over 50 published works including contributions to Heavy Metal Magazine, Weird Tales, DC Comics (Catwoman), and Dynamite (Barbarella).
Perry reportedly re-sighned with WWE on a legends deal in April of this year, and fans have been left wondering if she will join her husband Rusev on TV. In the meantime, the Ravishing Russian will be kept busy as her new book is made into a film.
CJ Perry (formerly Lana) and Miro have renewed their wedding vows.
The couple, who announced their separation in the winter of 2023, have reconciled and are back together. They told TMZ that they renewed their vows in a small church ceremony in Los Angeles.
This comes after a period of separation, during which Perry was released by AEW in April 2024, and Miro\’s contract with the company expired earlier this year.
Perry and Miro, who initially married in July 2016, announced their separation in late 2023. However, they never legally filed for divorce and began reconnecting in June 2024.
Currently, both are free agents in the wrestling industry, with Perry having left AEW in April 2024 and Miro departing in February 2025.
Following his AEW release, Miro returned to in-ring competition last month, appearing at a Qatar Pro Wrestling event on February 22 in Doha, Qatar, where he faced Alberto Del Río.
While Dave Meltzer has reported that WWE has engaged in creative discussions regarding Miro, his potential return and contract status remain unclear.
Could CJ Perry and Miro reunite, potentially in WWE? The Ravishing Russian has teased that fans shouldn\’t count the idea out just yet. On X, Perry suggested that Miro could rekindle his feud with WWE\’s Andrade and that the Bulgarian would need her help to win.
Thank God. One man is the Super Athlete & the other man is a flying cruiser weight who hits harder then a heavy weight ! I can’t wait to see them fight again. Who do you think will win this time if I don’t help @ToBeMiro to win again my former ex client @AndradeElIdolo. https://t.co/1a4iHqSUTE
Perry\’s post comes after Miro was released from AEW, an exit he reportedly requested in 2024 but was denied at the time. Andrade parted ways with AEW in early 2024 and would waste no time in returning to WWE as part of that year\’s Men\’s Royal Rumble match. Perry confirmed her exit from AEW in July 2024 though has yet to appear for another promotion.
In March 2024, it was revealed that Perry and Miro had separated, ending their marriage that had began in 2016. Her comments this week are not the first time she has teased reuniting with Miro on-screen, leaving fans wondering if the pair could soon be back together as a couple. In the comments, one fan questioned if the couple are \”trying to repair things\” while another asked Perry \”Girl are you back together?\”
With Miro only recently leaving AEW, its too early to say what\’s next for the Bulgarian, who wrestled just seven times in his final two years under Tony Khan. Whatever comes, fans can expect Perry to take an interest in the actions of Miro and Andrade, leaving fans curious to see what\’s to come.
Former WWE and AEW star CJ Perry, known for her time in WWE as Lana, is recovering from successful surgery in New York City. Perry, who has been absent from professional wrestling since her release from AEW in July 2024, shared the news with fans via social media.
In a Twitter video posted just before the procedure, Perry asked for prayers and expressed gratitude to her medical team. “Hey guys, I’m going into surgery right now, please say your prayers for me,” she said, tagging Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and thanking Dr. Chan in the caption.
Hours later, Perry followed up with another post confirming the surgery’s success. She shared a photo from her hospital bed, writing, “Made it out of surgery. Thank you all,” while thanking fans for their support.
This marks the second significant health issue Perry has faced in recent years. In early 2024, she battled a severe MRSA infection that began in her finger and spread to her arm. The life-threatening condition required surgery and intravenous antibiotics after oral treatments proved ineffective.
While Perry has hinted at a potential return to WWE, her focus for now appears to be on recovery. Fans and colleagues alike have expressed their support and well wishes as she recovers from her latest procedure.
SEScoops wishes CJ Perry a full and speedy recovery!
Former WWE star CJ Perry, also known as Lana, recently addressed rumors about a potential relationship with WWE Superstar Damian Priest. The speculation began circulating on social media a few months ago, sparking widespread interest among wrestling fans. Perry took the time to set the record straight, clearing the air about her personal life.
The dating rumors between CJ Perry and Damian Priest started gaining traction after fans noticed their interactions on social media. Some fans speculated that there might be more to their online exchanges than meets the eye. However, Perry has now dismissed these claims, stating that their relationship is purely professional.
In a recent video posted to her Instagram stories, Perry explained that while she and Priest share a strong professional bond, there is no romantic involvement between them.
\”Damian and I are friends,\” she clarified. \”We\’ve worked together, and I have immense respect for him as a performer.\”
CJ Perry denies she\’s dating WWE Superstar Damian Priest
As for Damian Priest, the WWE Superstar has yet to comment on the rumors or Perry\’s statements. Priest generally keeps a low profile regarding his personal life.
This clarification from CJ Perry seemingly puts an end to the dating rumors, allowing both her and Damian Priest to focus on their respective careers without unnecessary distractions.
Earlier this year, CJ Perry confirmed that her time with AEW had come to an end after debuting for the promotion in late 2023. Perry has yet to resurface in the world of professional wrestling, but a social media post this week has sparked speculation of a reunion with herself and Miro.
Dressed as Tiffany from the Child\’s Play series, Perry shared an Instagram video of herself attempting to \’resurrect\’ Rusev, the character Miro played for years as part of WWE. Perry also spoke in a Russian accent, a nod to her own WWE tenure as Lana, and asked fans if they wanted to see Rusev and Lana back together on TV.
This video is certainly an interesting one from Perry, who separated from Miro earlier this year. The couple tied the knot in 2016 and in the video, Perry referred to the Bulgarian as her ex-husband. Miro has been a part of AEW since 2020 though is seldom used, with just seven matches over the past two years and none in 2024.
Rusev and Lana proved to be a popular duo in WWE, with support for \’Rusev Day\’ earning the Bulgarian a WWE Championship match at Extreme Rules 2018. Stay tuned to SEScoops for the latest from both Perry and Miro in the world of professional wrestling.
It\’s been years since CJ Perry worked as Lana in WWE, but the ex-Superstar revived the \’Ravishing Russian\’ for a recent video about Liv Morgan. On the July 22, episode of RAW, Liv Morgan\’s efforts to win over Dominik Mysterio proved futile as \’Dirty Dom\’ officially got back together with Rhea Ripley. On Twitter, Perry shared her support for Morgan and often slipped into the Russian accent she often used during her time with WWE. Dressed in a Liv Morgan, Perry said that \”Mother Russia\” is going to win and encouraged fans to purchase Liv\’s merchandise.
Perry\’s revival of Lana comes mere weeks after she was removed from AEW\’s roster and told USA Today that she was \”gone\” from the All-Elite promotion. Perry was reportedly part of cuts to AEW\’s roster made in April but her removal from the roster website was only made recently.
In the past, Perry has suggested that a WWE return could happen, telling In The Kliq podcast last month that \”I\’m open to everything.\” On the same podcast, Perry described WWE CCO Paul \’Triple H\’ Levesque and Stephanie McMahon as geniuses and reiterated that \”I\’m always open to go back to WWE and tell compelling stories.\”
CJ Perry & Liv Morgan
In late 2019, Liv returned to WWE programming and revealed that she was in love with Lana, suggesting that the pair had been in a relationship. This revelation came about during Lana\’s on-screen wedding to Bobby Lashley, though the story between Liv and Lana was quickly dropped.
Outside of the ring, Morgan and Perry are close friends and can regularly be spotted hanging out on their respective social media accounts. Liv was recently invited to Perry\’s birthday celebration and used some WWE-learned skills when a small fire broke out in Perry\’s home.
CJ Perry is all done with All Elite Wrestling. The former Lana in WWE had a (very small) cup of coffee in AEW and her time with the company is already over. Speaking with USA Today at the 2024 ESPY Awards, Perry was direct and to-the-point regarding her status.
\”[My] time with them has just finished.\”
She was quietly released in April 2024, according to Sean Ross Sapp of Fightful. Perry first appeared in AEW as Miro’s wife, but the former WWE power couple announced their separation shortly afterward.
During her time in WWE, Lana was popular as the heel valet to Miro’s Rusev, but creative changes drastically altered the course for both stars. Lana later took on a role similar to Maxxine Dupri’s current portrayal as a valet turned wrestler.
Before joining AEW, Perry was vocal about the company’s misuse of her husband, Miro. AEW arguably mishandled the debut of “The Bulgarian Brute,” presenting him as an affable babyface rather than capitalizing on his “monster heel” persona.
Both Perry and Miro have been absent from AEW programming for months. Miro has shared on social media that he has been back in his home country of Bulgaria. While Perry was still with AEW, photos surfaced of her attending several events with the current AEW World Champion, Swerve Strickland.
Perry joins several former WWE women now under the AEW banner, including Saraya, Ruby Soho, Mercedes Mone, and Toni Storm. Among these, Saraya and Storm are arguably the company’s top two women’s acts, though Saraya has been miscast. Soho has also faced challenges, though she is currently away from programming due to her pregnancy.
CJ Perry\’s time as part of All Elite Wrestling has come to an end with the manager being pulled from the company\’s official roster.
Speaking to USA TODAY Sports at the 2024 ESPY Awards, Perry said her \”time with them has just finished.\” Perry made her AEW debut at All Out 2023, coming to the aid of her then-husband Miro. Perry hasn\’t appeared at all for AEW in 2024 and now her time with the company is up.
Removed From The AEW Roster
AEW\’s roster website no longer has Perry in any of its various categories, confirming her exit from the company. Miro, who similarly has not appeared in any capacity for AEW in 2024, still has his profile on the website.
CJ Perry As A Manager
Unlike her WWE run as Lana, Perry never competed for AEW and instead worked solely as a manager. In the interview, Perry said she\’s now eligible to join any wrestling promotion and hopes to continue being a manager.
\”I\’m really focused on finding talent and cultivating them and helping them become the best wrestler, champion possible. I guess you could say I want to be the Paul Heyman.\”
When asked to compare WWE and AEW, Perry said that AEW is much more sport driven and she appreciates how the company means more high-profile jobs in wrestling. With that said, Perry also had plenty of praise for WWE, calling the company \”the greatest franchise in the world.\”
On Twitter, Morgan shared that a small fire oven fire broke out at Perry\’s recent birthday. Thankfully for the attendees, Morgan knew exactly how to operate a fire extinguisher and put out the blaze.
When @TheCJPerry starts an oven fire & you only know how to use a fire extinguisher & put out the flames because of Extreme Rules 2022
Morgan used a fire extinguisher during her match at Extreme Rules 2022 against Ronda Rousey. The then-SmackDown Women\’s Champion caught Rousey by surprise during their Extreme Rules match. Unfortunately for Morgan, Rousey would get the win, kicking off her second reign as WWE SmackDown Women\’s Champion.
Liv Morgan & CJ Perry
Perry and Morgan are close friends and during a WWE storyline, were teased to be something more. During the final Raw in 2019, Perry (Lana at the time) was set to marry her on-screen partner Bobby Lashley.
The ceremony was interrupted when Morgan appeared and claimed she and Lana had been in a relationship, professing her love for Lana in the process. Despite online buzz over the segment and intrigue over the inclusion of LGBTQ+ storylines, the angle was quickly shelved.
What\’s to Come for Liv Morgan?
With WrestleMania 40 less than two weeks away, Morgan is currently without a match on either night of the show. Some hope to see Morgan added to the Women\’s World Championship match, given that she\’s been feuding with Becky Lynch and was the last woman to pin Rhea Ripley.
AEW\’s CJ Perry has spoke about the impact social media has made on her mental health following her split from fellow All-Elite talent Miro.
TMZ Sports first reported earlier this week that the couple had \”broke up once and for all\” and that their split had happened in the winter of last year. It was added that the pair had been experiencing an on-and-off relationship for several years.
CJ Perry on Social Media
Taking to Twitter, Perry didn\’t address the split directly but spoke about her mental health being severely impacted whenever she is on the platform. Perry added that it\’s hardly a surprise that for the most part she tries to keep off of the site.
Every time I go to twitter or @x my mental health is severely impacted. Wild. No wonder I stay off this platform
Perry and Miro, as Lana and Rusev respectively, met in WWE and the Ravishing Russian would serve as a manager. The couple were called up to the main roster in 2014 but had an on-screen split in 2015. That year\’s angle, which saw Rusev align with Summer Rae and Lana with Dolph Ziggler, was cut short after Miro and Perry announced their real life engagement.
Miro would be released from WWE in 2020 and debuted for AEW under his real name that same year. Perry\’s tenure as Lana ended the following year and she joined AEW in 2023. At AEW Worlds End, Perry turned on Andrade El Idolo following the former NXT Champion\’s loss to Miro. While many saw this as a sign of Miro and Perry reuniting as an on-screen duo, it\’s unclear what the future holds given their real-life separation.
Welcome to SEScoops: the Daily Drop, your go-to for the latest news and rumors in wrestling for Tuesday, March 12. A lot of things changed in the past 24 hours, so let\’s take a look.
Also, you can check out the WrestleMania 40 card (so far) below:
Iyo Sky (c) vs. Bayley – Singles match for the WWE Women\’s Championship
Rhea Ripley (c) vs. Becky Lynch – Singles match for the Women\’s World Championship
Gunther (c) vs. Sami Zayn – Singles match for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
The Judgment Day (Finn Bálor and Damian Priest) (c) vs. Five teams TBD- Six-Pack Ladder match for the Undisputed WWE Tag Team Championship
Seth \”Freakin\” Rollins (c) vs. Drew McIntyre – Singles match for the World Heavyweight Championship
Roman Reigns (c) vs. Cody Rhodes – Singles match for the Undisputed WWE Universal Championship
The Bloodline (The Rock and Roman Reigns) vs. Cody Rhodes and Seth \”Freakin\” Rollins
WWE:
– In a blockbuster report, the four names of WWE executives in Janel Grant\’s lawsuit was revealed. It is alleged that Nick Khan, Stephenia McMahon, Brad Blum, and Brian Nurse knew about the relationship between Grant and Vince.
– During Kevin Nash\’s Kliq This podcast, he revealed that Sting wanted him to get physical in his retirement match at AEW Revolution, \”For some reason, people think that Paul [Triple H] told me I couldn’t go and my thing was I’m a WWE guy. When this thing first came out, it came to fruition, I got contacted by Steve, Sting. He was telling me what he wanted to do and then in that same breath, he said, ‘What can you do physicality-wise? So if anybody wants to know why Kevin Nash was at home, that’s why. He asked me what I can do physicality-wise.”
–
Upcoming Major Pro Wrestling Events:
AEW Dynamite: Big Business will be hosted at Boston\’s TD Garden on March 13th.
WWE NXT Stand & Deliver is slated for the afternoon of April 6th, just before the start of WrestleMania 40 in Philadelphia.
WrestleMania XL is set to take place on April 6th and 7th at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as a two-part event.
AEW is coming to St. Louis, MO with AEW: Dynasty LIVE on PPV on Sunday, April 21st at Chaifetz Arena
Backlash France is scheduled for May 4th at LDLC Arena in Décines-Charpieu, France.
WWE NXT Battleground is booked for May 26th at Enmarket Arena in Savannah, Georgia, exclusively available on the WWE Network and Peacock.
WWE Money in the Bank will be held on July 6th at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, followed by WWE NXT Heatwave on July 7th at the same venue.
WWE Bash In Berlin is marked for August 31st at Mercedes-Benz Arena in Berlin, Germany.
AEW\’s CJ Perry and Miro are moving on from one another.
Earlier today, TMZ Sports reported that CJ Perry (formerly known as Lana) and Miro (formerly known as Rusev) had \”broke[n] up once and for all\” in the winter of 2023 after several years of an on-and-off relationship. The couple, who officially tied to knot in July 2016, is said to have simply drifted apart.
While the couple has yet to file for divorce, Miro reportedly moved back to his home country of Bulgaria shortly after he and Perry made the decision to break up.
CJ Perry has since confirmed their split to TMZ, stating, \”Miro and I have made the difficult decision to separate after many wonderful years together, and have decided to move on as friends, and hopefully onscreen characters somewhere down the road.\”
AEW Ventures
In the months following his release from WWE in 2020, Miro inked a contract with All Elite Wrestling, where he became a one-time TNT Champion.
In September 2023, Perry would follow suit as she attempted to save Miro from a post-match attack from Powerhouse Hobbs in her AEW debut, which took place at the All Out pay-per-view. Upon signing with AEW, Perry has reprised her role as an on-screen manager, taking on the likes of Action Andretti and Andrade El Idolo.
Perry\’s most recent appearance occurred at AEW Worlds End in December, in which she accompanied Andrade to the ring in his match against Miro. However, in a surprise turn of events, Perry turned on Andrade, subsequently causing him to lose his aforementioned match to Miro.
The wrestling world was out in force for the premiere of Dune: Part Two which stars none other than WWE\’s animal Dave Batista.
Dune: Part Two is the sequel to 2021\’s Dune. Both films are based on the 1965 novel of the same name from Frank Herbert\’s Dune franchise. The films tell the story of Paul Atreides, whose noble family is thrust into war for \’Spice\’ the key to interstellar travel that can be found only on the dangerous sand planet Arrakis.
WWE & AEW at Dune: Part Two
Dune: Part Two sees Batista return as the villainous Glossue Rabban, a psychotic warrior and nephew of primary antagonist Baron Vladimir Harkonnen. On Twitter, Titus O\’Neil, a close friend of the Animal, shared a photo from the premiere in New York alongside Batista and MVP.
Had a great time at the @dunemovie premiere in New York. Super proud of my brother @davebautista and the entire Dune cast on a Spectacular Performance all around. Looking forward to more of what’s to come ?? @davebautista THANK YOU, LOVE YOU TO THE MOON!!! #DreamChaser indeed ? pic.twitter.com/UYFfcF6yIH
The two Dune films are just some of the massive blockbuster projects that Dave Batista has been attached to. After a series of roles, the former WWE World Champion had his breakout moment in 2014 as part of Marvel\’s Guardians of the Galaxy. The following year, he would go one-on-one with Daniel Craig\’s James Bond as the villainous Mr. Hinx in Spectre. He once again shared the screen with Craig in 2022\’s Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery and also starred in the 2023 psychological thriller Knock at the Cabin
![https://media.sescoops.com/uploads/2026/01/\"Rusev](https://media.sescoops.com/uploads/2026/01/\"https://media.sescoops.com/uploads/2026/01/miro-school.pnghttps://media.sescoops.com/uploads/2026/01/\")