Since joining WWE in 2013 Lana, real name CJ Perry, has been on quite the journey.
From debuting alongside her husband Rusev (Now Miro in AEW) as his manager, to becoming a singles star in her own right, Lana has covered a lot of ground in her career to date.
Speaking in conversation with Stephanie Chase for Digital Spy, Lana reflected on her journey from “Ravishing Russian” to conqueror of Nia Jax on Monday Night RAW.
Looking back at her career so far, Lana says that the character is still the same, but there have been many different chapters in her life.
“Over the years I’ve been able to play all these different things. Yes it’s the same character Lana, but different chapters of her life.
“From being an ice-cold Russian to right now, a good guy who is being bullied and overcoming her enemies.
“I like to look at my career in WWE as chapters, different chapters of Lana’s life. I feel like this chapter of Lana is a lot closer to C.J. in the sense of the way we’re even packaging her versus when I first came on the scene with Rusev and I talked with a very thick accent.
“Yes, that was an extension of myself, I grew up in Russia, I grew up with a lot of features that I drew my inspiration from and I coated it with a Russian accent. So the packaging was a little bit further [from C.J.] but there’s a lot of elements of myself that I could identify with.
“Then when I was doing the Bobby Lashley and Rusev story, that’s further. That’s was an adulterous chapter in Lana’s life, so that is very different to who I am, but it was exciting to play.”
During her most recent singles run in the ring, Lana became embroiled in a feud with Nia Jax, which ended in a Tables Match where Jax sustained a rather unfortunate injury and became an internet sensation all at the same time.
Recalling the match, Lana commented that she thought that the “My hole!” incident was “hysterical” calling herself a survivor.
“I’m glad that I hurt her hole!
“Lana finds unconventional ways to win and she’s a survivor but sometimes you have to be innovative. Thank god she hurt her hole and I was able to capitalise off of that, I think it’s hysterical.”
In recent weeks Lana has teamed with Naomi in tag team action earning a shot at the Women’s Tag Team Titles. The pair were unsuccessful in winning the championships but have continued to appear as a team.
Lana has also worked to develop a career as an actor, most recently starring opposite Bruce Willis in Cosmic Sin.