Former Lana addresses WWE absence and potential return
Since parting ways with WWE in 2021, Lana, aka CJ Perry, returned to WWE in 2025 under a “Legends” contract. However, she is yet to make her TV return.
While her husband Rusev has been back on television for nearly a year and is set to compete at this year’s WrestleMania 42, fans have not yet seen Lana by his side. While the two appeared together regularly during their time in AEW, such has not been the case in WWE.
Speaking to Ariel Helwani, Perry was asked about her absence and possible return to Rusev’s side.
“Lana, right now, is exiled in Siberia. She let her country down and is doing work there. CJ, when the time is right, I will appear. Hopefully that will happen sooner rather than later, but in the meantime, I’m focusing on writing for Uncrowned. I love new journeys,” she said.
“If I can be in the world of storytelling and entertaining, if it’s on a podcast, stand up, writing a wrestling column, I am very grateful that I can stay in the business or storytelling and hopefully entertain and put a smile on faces,” she continued.
Sharing her “dream” of working again with her husband, Perry added, “That would be a dream, for sure. I love working with my husband. One of my favorite things to do is collaborate with, [and] create with other creatives, and I think my husband is one of the most creative, smart, funny, athletic, iconic wrestlers and creative minds that I know.”
Rusev is currently scheduled to compete for Penta’s WWE Intercontinental Championship in a ladder match at WrestleMania 42.
Shounak Chakrabarti is an experienced sports journalist with a lifelong passion for athletics and storytelling. He holds a Master’s Degree in International Journalism from the University of Leeds and joined F4WOnline in 2025.
Shounak takes particular interest in soccer, closely following top clubs like Real Madrid and Arsenal. Beyond sports, he enjoys fiction writing, photography, gaming, and cinema.