CJ Perry spent years pitching ideas to WWE creative, but not everything she came up with made it onto television with her involved. In fact, the former Lana says there were times when her ideas ended up being used for other Superstars instead. While that might have left some wrestlers furious, Perry says she found a way to look at the situation differently.
Speaking on Nick Club Wrestling Happy Hour, Perry was asked whether she ever pitched a storyline that WWE rejected despite believing it could have been a massive success. She laughed at the question and admitted there were plenty of ideas that didn’t get approved.
“I mean, I would say a lot of stories. But, you know, you got to believe in yourself. You better believe what you’re pitching is going to make you a massive success or like why are you pitching it, you know?”
Perry explained that she generally had access to Vince McMahon through WWE’s creative process and was fortunate enough to receive feedback about why certain pitches weren’t approved. Even when she disagreed with a decision, she understood that McMahon ultimately controlled what appeared on television.
“But, also I had a lot of respect for Vince and creative. I was always very lucky to get most of my stories to Vince and if I or the writers would. So, I would always get feedback of why not and you know, at the end of the day he’s the director and this is his his company. We’re just in his sandbox playing.”
According to Perry, McMahon usually had specific reasons for turning down her ideas, and she could often understand his thinking. However, things became more interesting when concepts she had suggested eventually showed up on television involving somebody else.
“So, if he feels some type of way, he usually would have different reasonings why and for the most part I would see it. You know, sometimes they would give it to someone else afterwards and I’m like, whatever.”
Rather than allowing those experiences to make her bitter, Perry explained that she deliberately changed how she thought about the situation. If WWE believed an idea was good enough to use with another performer, she took that as confirmation that the original concept had merit.
“I I would keep it if they gave my storylines to someone else, I would always trick my mind out. I like I believe it’s very important to trick your brain out, you know, cuz it’s going to be you could get real bitter real quick.”
She continued by explaining how she convinced herself that the decision wasn’t necessarily a reflection of her abilities. In her mind, WWE might have liked the story but believed another Superstar was better suited to the role.
“And so, I just trick my brain out and be like, ‘Wow, I’m so creative. Like, my story was so creative that they’re using it for someone else. I might have not been the right casting for it, but that person’s the right person. So, I still am so creative to come up with a story that’s being used on television.’”
Perry then shared an actual example involving Ric Flair. Following her storyline with Bobby Lashley, she had floated the possibility of becoming another romantic interest for Flair, joking that she could become his sixth wife.
“So, I did pitch me being like a like me and Ric Flair maybe being like a romantic interest after Bobby Lashley and like, ‘Oh, it makes sense. I can be your sixth wife, right?’”
She pointed out that Lacey Evans later became involved in a romantic storyline with Ric Flair. However, Perry was careful not to accuse WWE of directly taking her idea and giving it to Evans. She actually believed Evans was a better fit because of her character and potential rivalry with Charlotte Flair.
“But, then they gave it to not I’m not going to say they gave it to Lacey. Lacey went into that Lacey Evans went into the romantic story with him. And I felt like honestly she was a much better fit for that.”
Perry’s comments offer another glimpse into WWE’s creative process under McMahon. As Ringside News previously covered, she has also discussed how her real-life relationship with Rusev affected the Bobby Lashley storyline. She’s even revealed that a social media post once created backstage heat with WWE creative.
Perry clearly had no shortage of creative ideas during her WWE run, even if she didn’t get to perform all of them herself. The fact that she watched some of those concepts reach television through other wrestlers could have been a source of frustration, but she says she learned to accept that not every storyline was meant for her. Still, it’s interesting to hear just how much creative material never made it to television in the form she originally envisioned.
What do you think about WWE potentially using storyline ideas pitched by one wrestler for someone else, and should the original performer receive credit for those concepts? Let us know in the comments.
This transcript was produced exclusively for Ringside News from the original recording. Republishing the transcription in full is prohibited. When using excerpts, provide prominent credit and a link to this article.
