CJ Perry says Paul Heyman has been a major influence on her own work in the wrestling business.
During a recent interview with WrestleZone, CJ Perry (fka Lana) spoke about working with Paul Heyman during her time in WWE. Perry said that three of her inspirations were Stephanie McMahon, Miss Elizabeth and Heyman, and she explained why Heyman resonated with her so much.
“He’s so charismatic, of course. He can talk his ass off, but he’s also a lot of times the brains behind the operation, and he in my opinion is really the huge success behind Roman and his heel turn. He’s a wordsmith. I was about to get my amazing contract for the last two years because Paul Heyman was the showrunner and he put me in this incredible story. Yeah, it was very controversial, it was very, people loved it and hated it. But the numbers didn’t lie, and I’m so thankful for those last two years of that contract that I got,” Perry explained.
“I’m so forever grateful that Paul gave me that opportunity and gave me that time on the mic. So, so grateful for that. I just think that he’s an incredibly creative mind,” Perry said. “He’s incredible with words, and he’s always really inspired me with the way he is with words, and I’ve really just dived into studying verbiage, studying to become more of a wordsmith. Even in this past year, I feel like the writing that I’m doing, the studying I’m doing, of becoming better at words, of being, really training your brain, becoming more intelligent, and he’s so smart. So that was always really inspiring, and I just think he’s a lot of the brains and managing behind it, and that’s what I love.”
? @TheCJPerry went through commentary tables and took some big bumps feuding with @LinaFanene.
All she wanted was respect from her peers and fans, and earning it meant a lot to her.
Interview: https://t.co/s8oMFm99W9 pic.twitter.com/wQ1kbxREUM
— WrestleZone (@WRESTLEZONEcom) August 23, 2022
CJ Perry explained that she also saw similarities in how she also helped sell Rusev/Miro, noting that she doesn’t take that for granted.
“He can sell and convince people of anything, and I feel like I have that gift as well. So what better way to use that gift, one to hone it, to hone that salesman’s gift, to hone that promoter gift like Paul has, and not just use it for myself,” Perry said, “but use it for other people, and use it for people that maybe that’s not their first foot in the door. Even with Miro, I think he’s one of the most incredible athletes, he was born to be a professional wrestler with his size and his agility. But he doesn’t really schmooze and talk and be the politician and be the salesman.
“For me, I like it, I enjoy it, it’s kind of what I do. I realized I used to take that for granted, and I realized, no, that’s a gift, and we all have different gifts. So find that gift and hone it,” she added. “That’s really what I’ve been trying to do this past year is like find these things that just naturally come to me and realize, that’s a gift, and now hone it to be the best.”
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