Pro-wrestling is a beautiful art and WWE holds its place as the juggernaut promotion that it has been for decades. Women’s wrestling has certainly witnessed a change of scenarios, and dozens of incredible female talents were created. One of them is a personality that oozes talent and confidence. From a ballerina to a wrestler and from a model to an actor, CJ Perry is a complete package in herself.
Even though the athletic Diva is no more a part of the WWE brand, she still manages to influence her broad fanbase without entering the squared circle. After having displayed her wrestling moves and in-ring agility, CJ Perry now enjoys discovering the sphere of acting, influencing, and creating digital content.
Interview With CJ Perry
We are pleased to have gotten in touch with CJ Perry recently, thanks to BrandArmy, the service that helped her transition into a wonderful post-wrestling career. Here’s what we found out through this interesting conversation.
Vedant: CJ, we have constantly been getting news about your fabulous achievements outside the wrestling ring too. Tell us more about how it feels to stay away from one of your closest passions while venturing into different zones to exploit your gifted talents.
CJ: I enjoy hustling and being my own CEO. Hard work is the only key to success. I was like that before I got into wrestling, and I’m still like that today. It’s just in my DNA and who I am. And I have always been a fan of taking the tougher path to the pinnacle.
I love to have fifty things to do in a day, and I love to use both sides of my brain equally — mixing the creative side with the business side is what makes me happiest. Be it in a wrestling ring, or in the outside world, I have a habit of juggling things and trying to do my best in the stuff at hand.
Vedant: That’s incredible! Besides, your success in everything that you involve in speaks rightly for itself. You’ve recently worked in the movie WifeLike, which was directed by James Bird. It has turned out to make a decent impact at the box office. How was your experience playing the character of Holly in this flick?
CJ: WifeLike was a Sci-Fi movie about AIs that are created to be perfect wives and women. Holly is the only human female in the movie. Agent Jack, the supporting character, falls in love with Holly even though she is an escort. She isn’t afraid to stand up to powerful men and speak up. Playing her was definitely enjoyable because of her boldness and strong character.
Holly embraces her sexuality and her human flaws in a world where the AI’s, perfect-looking supermodels, are the competition. Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Elena Kampouris starred alongside me. They were totally great co-stars to work with.
Vedant: We bet it was a fantastic experience! CJ, it’s been over a year that we haven’t seen you in an official wrestling match. You have expressed your interest in returning to the ring and recently in an interview, Miro has teased that All Elite Wrestling might be your next destination. What are your views on this? Will we get to watch your wrestling moves sometime in the near future?
CJ: I truly believe Miro and I are a great package, wherever we go. We both love, above anything else in wrestling, the storytelling aspect of it. We have had a great run in WWE, and I enjoy watching Miro wrestle today, just as I used to do back then. Joining him again, wherever he goes wrestling is certainly an enticing offer for me.
So, that’s why if I was to go there it would be about timing and story. I know we could add a lot to an already amazing show. It could happen next week or it could never happen. People will just have to wait to find out. And that is the best part about this business.
Vedant: We still believe in the surprise element of this business, so fair enough. You have worked with WWE for a long time. In the eight years of your wrestling career there, which match/feud will you call your favorite, and why so?
CJ: That’s a hard question because my favorite stories differ from my favorite matches!
I loved my matches with Nia. I thought we always told a good “David vs Goliath” story in the ring. She put me through 9 tables!!!! That will always hold a place in my heart.
My favorite stories were the controversial ones by far. I guess you can say I enjoy stirring the pot. Haha. I truly enjoyed the Russian run that we had and fighting John Cena at Wrestlemania with our tank and Russian soldiers! That was such a fun, year-long story we had! I am forever grateful to Triple H and Vince to have given me the iconic opportunity to play as a Russian villain on TV. I also thoroughly enjoyed the soap opera stories that Miro and I did with Dolph and Summer, Miro calling me “cold-fish Lana”, and closing out the decade with the most ridiculous train wreck wedding that trended on Twitter for 3 days afterward.
People genuinely connect with the relationship stories. Most people in their life fall in love a couple of times, go through heartbreak, and eventually, find room in their hearts to love again. Most people won’t win a title or a gold medal in their lifetime, so title stories are much less relatable than relationship stories. To be honest, even I can’t relate to winning a title and I was a WWE Superstar for 8 years!
Vedant: Well, we thoroughly enjoyed your WWE run, be it with a title or without one! CJ, your collaboration with BrandArmy has resulted in you earning a staggering 100k dollars in the first month of your sales. Your fanbase is constantly growing and we bet your earnings are too! Tell us more about this venture of yours and what content new subscribers will be treated with on your website.
CJ: I’m so proud of what we’ve been able to achieve on cjperry.com with Brand Army. We had the biggest first month in their history, and things are only getting started. I was very clear that I wanted anyone who joined to understand that I will go above and beyond to make sure I earn their business. In the first couple of months alone, the investment back into the site has been considerable in terms of staffing and production costs.
But that’s what I want our subscribers to have and it’s what they deserve. In the future, we’ll be adding more to the site and I cannot wait to show everyone what’s to come with BrandArmy.
Vedant: That certainly sounds enticing for your fans worldwide. Over the years, we have seen both Lana and CJ exude confidence all over, be it in wrestling, movies, on social media, or during talk shows. What message do you have for the millions of supporters who look up to you aspiring to become the next big star of the wrestling world or Hollywood?
CJ: Confidence is a repetition game, it’s just like working out or rehearsing. I think flickers of it may come naturally to us but the execution of confidence is a constant battle. It definitely takes practice to build some confidence on our part. Some days I wake up ready to take on the world and other days I wake up doubting every fiber of my being. Although my job is to make sure that the audience doesn’t know one of those days from the other.
Vedant: Wow, this was amazing CJ! We love the energy and enthusiasm that you bring to the table and we had a great time having this short talk with you. We wish you all the best for anything and everything that you plan on doing in the future. Thank you!
CJ: Thank you so much, Vedant! It was so lovely speaking with you!
CJ Perry has been active on social media, mostly interacting with her fans and creating content on cjperry.com. Following her release from WWE in June 2021, she has not wrestled any match. She last competed against Dana Brooke and Mandy Rose while teaming with Naomi in a match won by Brooke and Rose on the May 31st, 2021 edition of “WWE Raw.” Her collaboration with BrandArmy has proved to be beneficial for her and her fanbase. She is often spotted backstage at AEW events to support her husband, Miro. It will be fascinating to watch what new venture CJ Perry would be getting her hands on in the near future.
Stay tuned to the Last Word on Pro Wrestling for more on this and other wrestling stories from around the world, as they develop. You can always count on LWOPW to be on top of the significant news in the wrestling world. As well as to provide you with analysis, previews, videos, interviews, and editorials on the wrestling world.
