CJ Perry: I watched my husband destroy himself at WrestleMania 42 — and loved it

CJ Perry joins Uncrowned as a special guest columnist for WrestleMania 42. A WWE Legend who rose to in-ring fame as “Lana” and later wrestled in AEW, Perry is also the wife of WWE superstar Rusev (Miroslav Barnyashev). For more from her, check out her podcast "Identity Crisis," and her work on TMZ’s “Inside the Ring.”

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WrestleMania 42 was a tale of two halves. Or a PLE of two nights. It’s shows like this that makes it hard to figure out what to talk about — and what’s best left unsaid.

So, let’s start off with the most important thing: Babies!

As a trying-to-be-mom currently going through IVF, it was amazing to hear Bianca Belair’s announcement in that moment on Night 1. The EST of WWE has done it all in her relatively short WWE career, but now she’s the pregnant-est now too. A lot of shows on TV call themselves a variety show, but what other program can so swiftly go from gloating over someone’s dead father to a pregnancy reveal?

Suck on that, “American’s Got Talent.”

The soon-to-be MomEST of WWE.

(Photo via CJ Perry)

Now, that we’ve got the mushy stuff out of the way, let’s focus on how MUCH MY HUSBAND KILLED IT IN HIS LADDER MATCH!!

OK, still mushy, but I will come back to that.

But first, let’s skip ahead to the end of the Night 1.

Seeing Cody Rhodes headline again with Randy Orton, I couldn’t help but remember all the hours “The American Nightmare” put in to get there. All the time the fans don’t get to see. I remember Cody always watched every match when I was with WWE. It’s prophetic now looking back, but John Cena always sat front row and watched every match, and Cody would always be in there viewing from the very first match as well, telling incredible stories about wrestling and his own experiences in the business while watching.

Cody Rhodes and John Cena have always been there to lend a helping hand.

Elsa via Getty Images

John sat in the driver’s seat, but Cody rode shotgun — the current and future “Guy” in the company knew the value of being right there with everyone, from the first match to the last. And their styles in doing even that were so different: John loved to give honest, direct feedback whenever anyone asked, but Cody was always telling jokes to pop everyone before giving his opinion when asked.

Well, if last couple of years didn’t signal it strong enough, and especially with the company having so many retirements in quick succession, Cody is now in the driving seat, so it’ll be interesting to see who gets shotgun.

CAN WE TALK ABOUT MY HUSBAND NOW?!!

OK, soon, my love. Soon.

Trick Williams is a “Superstar” in the classic sense of the word. I see people talk about his wrestling not being at the level of his charisma, and I can’t help but think: Who cares?! The greater audience certainly don’t. And that’s not to say the “Lemon Pepper Stepper” can’t wrestle. He had a great Night 2 match with Sami Zayn, but again, who cares?! Everyone from Gorgeous George to Superstar Billy Graham to Hogan and Rock all had better “wrestlers” working underneath them on their cards. But the key thing here is that those “better wrestlers” were on the undercard for a reason. In WWE, and entertainment in general, magnetism is key. Charisma is king. And that’s the thing headliners know more than most: The people who show up to see them, they’re paying their money to feel.

Trick Williams (left) just has it.

Ethan Miller via Getty Images

We all can’t be Trick. We all can’t walk around peacocking like he does; we don’t have the confidence to be that cool or be that watchable. But it’s sure fun watching someone be that thing we can’t be. And the ride is watching them get rewarded for being “arrogant” by the company who employs him, and the fans who pay to see him.

We can’t be Trick Williams, but we can certainly live through him.

And that’s what always has — and always will — make a headliner a headliner: Someone who has the balls to call their shot, and then has the talent to deliver on it time and time again.

Speaking of headliners who haven’t headlined yet, DID YOU SEE MY HOT AND FLEXIBLE HUSBAND IN THAT LADDER MATCH?!

OK, I have more to say about this, but for now all I can divulge is that I already went to Home Depot for a tall ladder and put it at the end of our bed.

Don't try to tell me you wouldn't do the same.

(Photo credit: CJ Perry)

What’s that have to do with women’s match times? Nothing but they need to be longer and the builds into those matches need to be better too.

More time doesn’t always mean more entertainment, but insufficient time sure does mean your women’s division is fighting from a losing position before they even get going.

Speaking of things that need to be featured more: RUSEV DAY!!

And do you know who else had a great day on Sunday? Jade Cargill.

That’s right. She showed once again why the company is so high on her. Built like a goddess, with the self-belief of a — eh, goddess? I presume they were pretty full of themselves anyway. It certainly didn’t hurt that Jade was in there with the biggest female star in WWE, but “That B****” certainly held her own, and then some.

Speaking of goddesses, did you see Paul Heyman’s performance at the end of the Oba Femi vs. Brock Lesnar FIVE-STAR CLASSIC?! I know the world will be talking about the two epic performances from the big, meaty men who slapped their meat (Big E’s line will live in infamy), but as a fellow manager, I couldn’t help but be blown away by Heyman again on this final night (if it’s deemed to be) of Brock’s career.

Paul has been there since the beginning of Brock’s run, and to see them embrace like that after the match was over would bring a tear to a glass eye. Who would’ve thought that the farm-boy killing machine and the mastermind New York hustler would be such an epic fit for each other? In a business that looks to group similar people together, it’s wonderful to see that the most oddly-matched duo on paper, became the most successful odd couple of all time.

And boy, oh boy, did that odd couple help make a new star on their way out (if this is the end.)

Oba Femi has all the tools needed and killed his end of the build to this massive match. That man can move, talk, intimidate and strut. But he also beat up my hero Rusev, so he can kiss my Russian (by way of Latvia) ass.

Speaking of RUSEV!! Did you guys see that ladder match?! Oh my God I’m still hoarse from screaming at six people who couldn’t hear me. But I knew Rusev was going to hold his own in a match that was way out of his comfort zone. Give him a fish, a tank, a ladder, or a hot, flexible wife, and that man always rises to the occasion. Yes, I said it.

You only hate us 'cause you ain't us.

WWE via Getty Images

He said his plan was to stay grounded until the end, but instead that crazy Bulgarian beefcake went up the ladder, through the ladder, off the ladder and through the ladder. (He did it twice, my sweet lion.)

I have never been more proud of how Rusev once again got to show the world that if you give him any screen time, he’ll make the most of it. Now, point that brute toward a title program and watch him soar. MACKA!! CRUSH!!

Backstage after the chaos.

(Photo credit: CJ Perry)

And speaking of gold, Sunday’s main event …

I remember the first day I came on the road with Rusev in 2014 for the Royal Rumble. (CRUSH!) “The Super Athlete” had an incredible first showing and fought CM Punk in the Rumble. But my first time actually seeing Punk was “Monday Night Raw” the night he quit WWE in 2014. I will never forget — I was ringside, and Punk just walked to the ring, looked at the names and matches on the sheet, walked over to Vince McMahon and quit.

Then fast-forward to 2023, when I came across Punk again at AEW when I came in to work with Miro and “AEW Collision” — I was so happy to finally work with Punk on what was essentially his show. I thought I could learn so much from him, and after everything I’d heard, I’d finally get to see him in action up close and personal.

Until, just as soon as I got there, he quit and walked out of AEW as well.

Now I was starting to take it personally.

(Come to think of it, he didn’t come back to WWE until I wasn’t there either.)

(Jesus, am I the Danhausen curse on Punk?)

Sorry Punk, it was me.

(Photo via CJ Perry)

Either way, a superb build that peaked a week early was punctuated Sunday by an amazing WrestleMania main event where two huge names gave it their all for the biggest prize in the sport. And I was sports-entertained bigly on this one. Punk vs. Roman Reigns had it all: Passion, fire, callbacks, blood, and in my opinion, the right winner too.

Reigns announced after the match that he’ll be full-time again with WWE over the summer and I’m guessing that’s going to be, in part, to help restock the main-event shelves after the company’s recent departures. And who better to give the rub to the next in line than “The Tribal Chief”? If Cody is currently in the driver’s seat, it’s because Roman was part-time, but now that both men are going to be there week after week, it’ll be interesting to see how each helps bring along the next crop of leaders, champions and main-eventers.

And as for Punk, he plays that role wonderfully too.

Two years ago I got to bump into him at WrestleMania, and I finally got a chance to ask him had he any advice on my career and wrestling. I told him I’d waited years to pick his brain because he kept quitting companies when he’d see me coming. I remember admitting to him that I was a huge fan of his and maybe “a little bit of a mark” for his career. He replied: “We should be marks for this business and people in this business. I’m a mark too.”

I believed him then, and definitely believe it now.

To mark out is to love, and we all love this business so much.

Now please stand by for 52 advertisements. This column is running so long I’m going to have to cut a woman’s match somewhere.

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