Felix Upton on April 14, 2026
CJ Perry shared a rare behind-the-scenes memory involving Brock Lesnar, and it shows a very different side of the powerhouse fans usually see on television.
In her debut column for Uncrowned on Yahoo Sports, Perry reflected on a moment from early in her WWE career when she and Rusev were still finding their footing. She explained that the experience happened during live events in 2016 when Brock Lesnar was working matches against Rusev, giving her a close look at how Lesnar operates behind the curtain.
Before one of those shows, Perry recalled working through part of her promo with Paul Heyman, who then turned to Lesnar for his thoughts. Instead of brushing it off, she said Lesnar took time to study what they had prepared and offered his own take based on how he expected the audience to react.
“Back in 2016 in San Jose, I got to see up close how smart Brock is to this business. It was Brock vs. Rusev on some WWE live events, and my husband and I were just starting out. Before the show, Paul Heyman gave me pointers on part of my promo and then asked Brock what he thought about it.”
She explained that Lesnar didn’t just tweak small details — he completely rethought the delivery with the crowd in mind, focusing on how reactions would build during the segment.
“Brock took a second and thought, and then gave me notes on how I could say it. He took what Paul and I had come up with, and spun it in a completely different direction by anticipating the audience’s reaction, and then having a plan to deal with that reaction.”
According to Perry, the biggest lesson came after the segment was finished. Once they returned backstage, Lesnar offered feedback that stuck with her and Rusev as they continued developing their performances.
“We went out there that night and did our promo, and the match with Brock vs. Rusev was incredible. When we came back, Brock pulled me aside and gave me notes on my execution. He told me I was ‘stepping on my own pop by not allowing them to boo longer’ and to ‘wait a bit longer for the crowd to start chanting.’ It was incredible advice I got from Brock, and the whole experience really helped Miro and I grow as performers and on the mic.”
Perry made it clear that the experience changed how she viewed Lesnar. While fans often see him as an unstoppable force in the ring, she said his real strength may be how well he understands timing and crowd psychology.
“But I was more blown away by how wise Brock was to this business. I guess I bought into what he wants us all to see, which is the viking destroyer character, but backstage there’s few smarter than him in knowing how to pull the most from a beat, or a movement or a moment.”
Stories like this show that some of the most important lessons in wrestling don’t happen in front of the cameras. They happen backstage, in quiet moments where veterans pass knowledge down to the next generation.
Do you think Brock Lesnar gets enough credit for his knowledge of the wrestling business behind the scenes, or do most fans still see him only as a powerhouse performer? Drop your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion.
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