CJ Perry, best known to wrestling fans as Lana, is opening up about one of the more uncomfortable moments of her WWE run when a single in-character tweet sparked backstage tension and left creative believing she crossed a line.
During her appearance on Ring the Belle, Perry explained that the situation stemmed from her televised title match with Naomi. After watching the replay, she noticed her shoulder wasnt fully down for the pinfall. Staying committed to her heel persona, she took the issue to Twitter, believing she was simply extending the story.
According to Perry, there was no agenda behind it. She wasnt trying to get herself booked stronger or push for a real-life rematch. She believed she was doing what a loud, obnoxious heel manager would logically do. Backstage, however, the reaction was far colder than she expected. The tweet was interpreted as her attempting to influence booking on her own.
The situation escalated enough that she was contacted directly by someone in charge of the show. Perry said Vince McMahon was also under the impression that the tweet was intentional politicking.
Rather than letting it fester, she chose to address it head-on and explain her mindset to Vince personally. According to Perry, that conversation smoothed things over.
Looking back, Perry framed the moment as another example of how tricky the line was between performance and perception in WWE, especially during an era where talent were increasingly expected to stay in character on social media while also navigating strict backstage politics.
Its another reminder that even when a performer believes theyre doing their job by deepening a storyline, the consequences behind the scenes can be very real.
Do you think Lana was right to stay in character on social media, or should talent always clear those moves with creative first? Drop your thoughts in the comments and let us know what you think.
