Source: Wrestling Observer Newsletter
WWE has been teasing trouble in paradise between real-life couple Rusev and Lana since before WrestleMania, and according to reports their break-up is part of a long-term plan to turn the “Ravishing Russian” into one of the promotion’s most popular female stars. Dave Meltzer even notes that she could be the “female face of the company”, although whether or not they choose to use her in a wrestling capacity is unknown.
Vince McMahon wants Lana to come out as American once she splits from Rusev, completing the big babyface turn. She is actually from Florida, but spent most of her childhood in Latvia, before returning to the U.S. There has been talk of either remaining with the “Lana” name, or using her actual nickname – “C.J.” for Catherine Joy – instead.
On paper, the 30-year-old is an ideal choice to be the female star of the WWE, at least from a media and marketting standpoint. Again, her wrestling skills (or lack thereof) are in question, but she is a natural athlete with a background in dance. Beyond WWE, she has a lot of real world experience in things like acting, modeling, and even music, with a short-lived stint in a girl group, and as a backup dancer for some pretty high end musical acts. She’s done several movies, several TV spots – basically, if the company is looking for somebody with a ton of stage experience that knows how to handle herself in high pressure situations, Lana is their woman.
Only time will tell what WWE’s plans for Lana (and, as a result, Rusev) are, and things change so frequently they could make the decision to keep them together tomorrow.
