Former WWE star Lana has lashed out at the company, branding the work environment “toxic” and claiming all they wanted her to do was wear pink and get her ass kicked.
CJ Perry, formerly known as Lana during her time with WWE, has hit out at the company in a new post on social media.
The star joined WWE in 2013 managing the man who would later become her real-life husband, Rusev. Now known as Miro in AEW.
Following a successful stint alongside Rusev all the way to the upper echelons of the main roster, Lana also began to appear as a wrestler, mainly at live events. After Miro was released in 2020, Lana transitioned into being a full-time, on-screen, in-ring performer, via a short lived storyline with Bobby Lashley.
However, Lana was released on June 2nd 2021, alongside the likes of Braun Strowman, Aleister Black (Malakai Black), Ruby Riott (Ruby Soho) and others.
Posting on Instagram to celebrate her recent birthday, Perry thanked fans for their birthday wishes, before looking back at her time in WWE. She shouted out a number of people who helped her during her run with the company, while also hitting out WWE as a whole.
“Thank you for all the amazing #Birthday wishes! Swipe to see my crazy past year! The last couple of days have been so emotional for me when I look back on everything that has happened to me this past year. From being on a poster at #Wrestlemania, having a match with one of my best friends & favorite dance partners @trinity_fatu at #Wrestlemania, filming the craziest reality show reboot for @viacom_intl #SurrealLife ! Living in the house with ICONIC LEGENDS !!!!
“@tamarbraxton thank you for helping me deal with my mental health & anxiety❤️! I can’t believe I booked 2 movies in the past 6 months! On my birthday I was filming an action movie where I play an Assassin for @paramountplus where I was blowing up cars & kicking strong men’s asses!
Talk about a complete 180 from WWE only wanting me to wear pink, have blonde hair & having MY ASS kicked! 😂 I had the most amazing time with my sister & family this past year, because I finally had some free time & wasn’t on the road with #WWE 300 days of the year!
“@natbynature @tjwilson711 @yaonlylivvonce thank you for BELIEVING in me when I had no confidence left. On my birthday I was able to film & celebrate being alive & healthy another year with actors that I have looked up to for years!
I am so beyond grateful, I can’t believe how far life has come in a year & how brain washed I was from the toxic environment that I had worked in for 8 years. I allowed it to define my identity & self worth.
Change can be hard friends but let me tell you, if you keep pushing forward no matter what, if you refuse to have one human’s opinion define your destiny, if you refuse to be put in a box by a corporation or society & you keep the blinders on and walk by faith then your life will become more then your wildest dreams.
“Have the audacity to chase the BIG dreams. Chase them passionately. Have an undeniable work ethic. Be teachable. Take calculated risk! Be brave. Take responsibility when wrong. It’s ok to make mistakes as long as we LEARN. To all my friends in show business & wrestling REMEMBER we are playing MAKE BELIEVE so have FUN! Be kind. Forgive. Always walk in love.”
Since leaving WWE, CJ Perry hasn’t returned to the ring, instead focusing on forging a career as an actress.