Coming off Hollywood, Lana ended up enjoying a memorable stint with the WWE for almost eight long years. During her last few months with the company, she had the pledge to become a champion by teaming with a top superstar in Asuka but that dream of hers didn’t come true.
Week in and out, she was put through the announcer’s table by Nia Jax which made her a babyface superstar in a natural way. This is the reason that WWE made her the sole survivor in the Women’s Survivor Series match in 2020. In the following PPV, WWE TLC, she was supposed to win her maiden title but Charlotte Flair’s return ruined that opportunity.
Lana was eventually released from her WWE contract the following year and since then she is enjoying projects outside of wrestling. This included appearing on The Surreal Life reality TV show that has certain similarities with Total Divas in WWE. Filming that show allowed the former WWE Diva to get in touch with WWE Hall of Famer Jim Neidhart.
Throughout his wrestling career, The Anvil was a hard-hitting individual inside the squared circle but we got to see a softer side of the Hall Of Famer during his appearances on Total Divas. As seen on the show, he spent a lot of time with his daughter Natalya and also her close friend Lana. Jim taught the latter how to shot put but she ended up smashing a car window.
Lana professed her love and respect for Jim Neidhart
In an interview with Wrestling INC Senior News Editor Nick Hausman, the female wrestler with the real name CJ Perry noted that she had a close bond with him and he also misses him all the time.
“I loved Jim so much. Oh, [I] miss him. I was just so blessed and thankful to be able to experience these moments,” Lana said. “And maybe originally it was Total Divas kind of put us there, but we then had this genuinely awesome connection, kind of like an uncle I never had.”
During Total Divas, Lana was often seen enjoying parties. During some trips, she had drinks with the girls, and her husband Miro. Jim’s daughter Natalya would have Fireball to be her drink of choice. On one such occasion, she got to drink with Jim and things went to the next level as part of the fun.
“The fact that I was taking Fireball shots, my parents and my entire family are very conservative people. My dad took maybe one Fireball shot his entire life, and here I’m chugging Fireball, freaking cups down. So, he just made me laugh. He was so funny. I feel so grateful to have that.” (quotes courtesy Wrestling INC)
