C.J. Perry Barnyashev
Personal details
  • Born:
    • Birthday: 1985-03-24
    • Born Place: Gainesville, Florida, USA
  • Also Known As:

    Lana, CJ Perry, The Ravishing Russian, Catherine Joy 'C.J.' Perry, C.J. Perry

C.J. Perry Barnyashev

C.J. Perry Barnyashev, born Catherine Joy Perry on March 24, 1985, in Gainesville, Florida, is a multifaceted entertainer known for her work as a professional wrestler, actress, and dancer. Raised in the Soviet Union as a Christian missionary's daughter, she spent part of her childhood in Latvia, where she trained in ballet at the Riga Choreography School and performed with the Latvian National Ballet starting at age 14. At 17, she returned to the U.S., dancing with renowned companies like Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and Broadway Dance Center before enrolling at Florida State University to study dance and acting . Perry's professional wrestling career began in WWE's NXT development program in 2013, where she trained as a wrestler. After an injury, she developed the character "Lana," who became the manager for Rusev (Miroslav Barnyashev). Lana debuted on NXT in October 2013 and later made her main roster debut in WWE, where she gained prominence as Rusev's manager, known for her anti-American promos and Russian accent. In 2023, Perry made her debut in All Elite Wrestling (AEW) at the All Out pay-per-view, attempting to save her husband from an attack. She later managed Andrade El Idolo in AEW before departing the promotion in 2024 . In April 2025, she returned to WWE under a "Legends" contract, coinciding with Rusev's return to the company . Beyond wrestling, Perry has appeared in several films and television shows. She starred in the sci-fi feature Cosmic Sin alongside Bruce Willis and Frank Grillo, and appeared in the thriller Wifelike opposite Jonathan Rhys Meyers and Elena Kampouris. Her television credits include guest spots on Banshee, The Game, and Adam Devine's House Party . Fluent in Russian, Perry is also a trained dancer with experience in ballet, modern dance, and breakdancing. She has amassed a significant social media following, with over 4 million followers on Instagram, 1.6 million on TikTok, and 1.2 million on Twitter.

Person History