CJ Perry Reveals Why Her WWE Story Feels Unfinished

CJ Perry didn’t hold anything back when she sat down with TMZ’s Inside the Ring, opening up about the one thing she never achieved in WWE and the personal reality check that came with it. Despite becoming one of the most recognizable personalities of the 2010s, Perry never captured championship gold—something she says stung more than fans may realize.

She explained that she always understood the uphill battle she faced coming in as a performer with far less in-ring experience than the women who were breaking out around her. Perry said the division was full of young, seasoned prodigies while she was still learning the basics.

“Oh my god, are you kidding me? I like—it was my dream to be champion. But I feel like I was always very realistic. And I’m good at helping people find their money pockets. So that as well with me. So I was there, I’m like, 26 years old, and I’m competing against Saraya, Paige, Emma, Sasha, Bayley… Bayley was, you know, 22, had already wrestled seven years. And so it’s like, these girls were seven, ten years in and they’re like 21, 22, 23, and I’m like, ‘Okay, 30’s around the corner—it’s going to take me 10 years to get really good at this.’ So yes, I wanted to wrestle, but I wanted to be iconically great. And I’m like, ‘Okay, I can become iconically great.’ So I really went on that road.”

Once Vince McMahon decided he wanted her to transition deeper into wrestling, she literally uprooted her entire life to try to make that championship dream possible.

“Then Vince really wanted me to wrestle. So I’m like, ‘Okay, if you want me to wrestle, I’ll move to Florida. I’ll be away from my husband and my dogs, live in a motel for 200 days of the year, train with Nattie at the Dungeon.’ And that’s what I did.”

But after all that effort, she ultimately never got the title moment she fought for.

“And it didn’t pay off in a championship. And that is disappointing. But, you know, I think that’s life. Not everyone wins a Super Bowl.”

Even with all of that behind her, Perry admitted that the desire to perform never really goes away. The rush of being in front of a crowd still pulls at her, and she didn’t shy away from describing how deeply she feels it.

“Oh my god, are you kidding me? I miss it so much. I feel like a drug addict a little bit, you know? And it’s like, that’s the high. There’s no high and no adrenaline rush like that in the world.”

She went on to describe the feeling of connecting with a live crowd, provoking emotion, and the raw electricity that comes with stepping through the curtain—calling it a relationship you simply can’t replace in normal life.

In the end, Perry made it clear her story in wrestling doesn’t feel “finished,” even if she isn’t currently active in the ring. And with her admitting how much she longs for that high again, it wouldn’t surprise anyone if Lana eventually reappears in front of an arena full of fans.

Perry’s honesty about her career journey, the grind she endured, and the title she never got might be one of the most relatable reveals she’s ever shared. Not everyone gets the trophy—but the passion is still real.

What do you think? Should CJ Perry get one more real run in WWE or would she thrive more outside the ring in a manager or character role? Drop your thoughts below and let us know what direction you want to see her take next.

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