Created by Cris Abrego, Mark Cronin, and Rick Telles, VH1’s ‘The Surreal Life’ is a reality show featuring several celebrities. Set in a luxurious mansion, the participants must partake in different activities during their stay at the property. The series also provides an insight into the personal and professional life of the cast members. With high tensions and cameras on, the drama unfolding each season is undoubtedly entertaining.
In 2003, the show aired for the first time but was discontinued after six seasons in 2006. However, it was rebooted in 2022 with a new set of celebrities for the seventh installment. One of the most popular participants from the season was Catherine Joy “CJ” Perry, who earned many admirers thanks to her appearance on the show. Naturally, people are curious about the celebrity’s love life, and we are here to share what we know about the same!
CJ Perry’s Background
Catherine Joy “CJ” Perry was born on March 24, 1985, in Gainesville, Florida. While trying to enter the entertainment industry, she showcased her skills as an actor, singer, model, and dancer. Nevertheless, CJ’s big break came in 2013 when she was inducted into ‘WWE‘ for a managerial role and took up Lana as her ring name. She soon became a well-known name among the viewers of ‘Raw’ and ‘SmackDown.’ Slowly and steadily, the TV star developed a persona deemed pro-Russian and anti-American.
In 2016, CJ made her debut as a wrestler within the ‘WWE’ universe and was part of many storylines within the show. Yet, on June 2, 2021, Lana parted ways with the franchise. Apart from WWE, she has had a flourishing television career and appeared as a guest on ‘The Real Housewives of Atlanta’ in 2009. Moreover, she was a part of ‘Total Divas’ as a guest in season 4 and as a regular cast member for seasons 6 to 8. Not just that, the wrestler was seen in ‘Total Bellas,’ a reality series by E!.
CJ Perry’s Former Relationships
Thanks to CJ Perry’s time on ‘Total Divas,’ the public learned about her past relationship with Isaiah Mustafa, a well-known actor and football player. He is mainly known for participating in some Old Spice commercials and portraying Luke Garroway in ‘Shadowhunters.’ The professional wrestler bumped into her ex when she was already entertaining doubts about her existing relationship with Miroslav Barnyashev, and the meeting seemed to increase her worries. Nevertheless, the former romance between CJ and Isaiah was not rekindled.
Wow running into @isaiahmustafa was like wooooaaahhh I didn't expect that !@NaomiWWE & @ReneeYoungWWE faces I can't deal with ! #TotalDivas
— CJ Perry (@TheCJPerry) January 19, 2017
CJ Perry’s Husband
As of writing, CJ Perry is happily married to Miroslav Barnyashev, who also goes by the names Miro and Rustev. The pair reportedly first met in the developmental phase of ‘WWE.’ While there, CJ and Miro became good friends, gradually becoming something more. After their first date, the couple soon crossed different relationship stages and even moved in together. After around three years of being together, the professional wrestlers tied the knot in 2016.
Though the pair’s real-life marriage seems smooth sailing for the two, the same does not hold for the storyline the two were involved in on ‘Raw.’ Per the show’s 2019 narrative, Lana started an affair with Bobby Lashley and even kissed him in front of Miro. This resulted in her getting two on-screen divorces within eight months on the show. However, the whole plot was abandoned since Miro left ‘WWE.’ Unlike their on-screen personas, CJ and Miro had no such scandal plague their real-life marriage.
CJ and Miro do not have any children as of writing. Albeit, they have two adorable dogs, Joy and Pickels, who have an Instagram page where the wrestling duo shares their pictures. The couple seems entirely focused on their respective careers, and CJ is thriving in her role as a reality TV star. Furthermore, Miro has returned to his wrestling career and is actively part of ‘All Elite Wrestling.’ We wish CJ and Miro the best in their lives and hope their future ventures are successful.
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