Former WWE star CJ Perry (Lana) shared valuable lessons she learned from working with The Rock and John Cena during her appearance on Insight with Chris Van Vliet.
Perry revealed how The Rock taught her the critical skill of reading crowd reactions during a 2014 Brooklyn appearance. "Dwayne, John Cena, Big Show, these men are they're they've been around for so long and they know how to listen to the crowd and you learn by doing that. There's no you can't just be taught that," Perry explained.
The Rock returned after a two-year absence and completely changed his promo on the fly based on crowd energy. "He told us he's going to tell us when to talk. He's gonna give us an eggy to tell it because he's like, 'You don't want to step on the crowd. You don't want to step on it. They're going to get louder and they're going to get louder,'" Perry said.
She credited Rusev's natural instincts for understanding the timing, while admitting she initially rushed her delivery. The lesson proved invaluable for maximizing crowd engagement throughout her WWE career.
John Cena's Masterclass
John Cena provided another masterclass during the height of "We Want Lana" chants at live events. Perry described how Cena methodically positioned her in specific locations around the ring to build crowd reactions strategically.
"John Cena's like, 'Okay, we're going to you're going to get up on the apron. I'm going to tell you where to stand.' And he would literally go, 'Go here. Go here in the match cuz it's getting louder and louder,'" Perry recalled.
Learning From The GOAT
Cena's first attempt involved having the referee kick Perry out of the match, but the crowd reaction wasn't what they wanted. Rather than settle, Cena adjusted the plan. The second attempt had Rusev kick her out instead, which generated a massive response and led to Perry's eventual babyface turn.
"That's what I loved about John is like John would always give us always say, 'You have to take calculated risk.' And then he's like, 'Then if it doesn't go as planned, you have to take ownership,'" Perry explained.
The approach culminated in a memorable Extreme Rules moment and demonstrated Cena's ability to adapt in real-time based on audience feedback. Perry noted these experiences with veteran performers taught her skills that simply cannot be learned in training or rehearsal.