Former WWE Star Lana Recalls Making Singles Debut In World Title Match Against Naomi

Before becoming an active in-ring competitor, former WWE talent CJ Perry, aka Lana, mainly acted as a manager for her husband Rusev. While her career as a wrestler isn't exactly something that many fans look back on, however, her first televised singles match was at a Premium Live Event against Naomi. Looking back at it during an interview with "Ring The Belle," she recalled how things were put together.

Perry explained that her Money in the Bank 2017 match against Naomi might not have been her first official match, but it was her first singles match in front of an audience outside of "NXT."

"It was really nerve-wracking because the best – the way to learn is by getting out there and doing it," she said. "It wasn't my first singles ever, it was my first singles on TV. So it's crazy that they decided to give me a title match, and Vince [McMahon] was really excited about this story! He's like: 'You're gonna lose, and you're gonna lose, and you're gonna lose, and then you're gonna become Tamina's manager!'"

Perry recalled that McMahon felt she wasn't fully ready to wrestle yet, saying she knew she needed time. She also briefly commented on her match at the WrestleMania 32 kick-off show, stating that this was actually where she had her first match in front of an audience. "I never even had a live event match before that!" Perry exclaimed.

Interestingly, Perry ended up having more than just one title shot against Naomi, and in the interview, she claimed there was a specific reason for that.

"So I was actually supposed to only have one title match against Naomi," she recalled. "And then Vince was like: 'I loved that! Let's do another one!' So, you know, we do another one and then, you know, Lana – just being a heel – her shoulder wasn't fully pinned..." 

Perry took that fact over onto X (formerly known as Twitter), directly making a post at then-GM Shane McMahon, calling the pin out, but things didn't work out too well for her.

"Creative didn't like that; they thought I went into business for myself, and I genuinely didn't! I just thought ... I wasn't trying to get a rematch; I didn't think they'd give me a rematch for real!" she claimed. "I got a text from the head showrunner and like: 'You can't do that' and 'Vince thought you were doing that intentionally' and I was like: 'No! I'm not!' I explained myself to Vince, of course. He's like: 'It's fine, it's fine, just clear those things first.'"

If you use any quotes from this article, please credit "Ring The Belle" and provide a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.