CJ Perry was released from WWE in 2021 and made her AEW debut at All Out last month.
While speaking with Fightful, Perry discussed what she was doing during her time away from wrestling and the aspects of the business that she missed.
“Oh, my gosh, it was so much fun. That’s why we go, because it’s all my friends. I feel that the first year after my time with WWE, I really wanted to stay home. Like the first year I was like, ‘I wanna sleep in my own bed,’ because I hadn’t slept in my bed longer than a week, I think, in eight or nine years. I calculated I had been on a plane 800 days in those eight years. I was like, ‘Whoa.’ I have PTSD from airports. So I wanted to sleep in my own bed, have a little bit of a normal schedule. I really harnessed a lot of different skill sets I wanted to focus on and learn different things, try different things, do Surreal Life. So it was really nice to have a year break and just try to center myself. But I miss my friends and I think that was one of the hardest things about being away from the wrestling world was being away from the women’s locker room. I know there’s always rumors of horror stories, and don’t get me wrong, there is some crazy stories that happen in the locker room, but I really missed the dysfunctional family. I would get so excited. I would go and see Nattie, I’d stay with Liv. I would have so much fun with all the girls. Bayley, Nattie, Rhea, just seeing all of them would be so much fun. I realized when I went to AEW, immediately, the women’s locker room, I just felt so much better being there. Miro will never provide this energy that the women’s locker room gives me. Miro is never gonna talk that much.“
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CJ Perry, also known as Lana in WWE, recently made her debut in All Elite Wrestling (AEW) after being released from WWE in 2021. In a recent interview with Fightful, Perry discussed her time away from wrestling and the aspects of the business that she missed.
After leaving WWE, Perry took a year off to focus on herself and explore different opportunities. She mentioned that during her time away, she wanted to sleep in her own bed and have a normal schedule since she had been constantly traveling for the past eight or nine years. Perry revealed that she had calculated being on a plane for 800 days during that time, which led to her experiencing some level of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) from airports.
During her break, Perry also wanted to develop and learn new skills. She mentioned trying different things and even participating in the reality TV show Surreal Life. Taking this time off allowed her to center herself and focus on personal growth.
However, one of the things Perry missed the most during her time away was the women’s locker room in wrestling. Despite rumors of horror stories, she emphasized that she missed the dysfunctional family atmosphere and the camaraderie among the female wrestlers. Perry mentioned how excited she would get when seeing her friends in the wrestling world, such as Nattie, Liv, Bayley, Nattie, and Rhea. She expressed that being away from the women’s locker room was one of the hardest parts of being away from wrestling.
When Perry joined AEW, she immediately felt a sense of belonging in the women’s locker room. She described feeling much better being there and highlighted the energy and connection she experienced with her female colleagues. Perry also made a lighthearted comparison between the energy in the women’s locker room and her husband Miro’s energy, stating that Miro would never provide the same level of excitement and conversation.
In conclusion, CJ Perry’s time away from wrestling allowed her to focus on herself, explore new opportunities, and develop different skills. However, she deeply missed the women’s locker room and the sense of family and camaraderie it provided. Joining AEW has reignited her passion for wrestling and allowed her to reconnect with her friends in the industry. Wrestling fans can stay updated on all the latest news on eWrestlingNews.com or follow them on Twitter and Facebook.