Summary

CJ Perry looked back on a 2016 stretch of WWE live events where Rusev worked against Brock Lesnar, and said Lesnar gave her advice that helped sharpen her promo timing.

According to Perry, Paul Heyman first offered pointers on part of her promo before asking Lesnar for his take. She said Lesnar then reworked the idea around how the crowd was likely to react, and that the feedback helped both her and Miro grow as performers.

The memory also adds another layer to Lesnar's current WWE spotlight, with his advertised WrestleMania 42 clash with Oba Femi already keeping him in the conversation heading into the event.

How Brock Lesnar framed the moment

Perry's recollection centered less on Lesnar's in-ring reputation and more on his understanding of crowd control. She said his notes were built around letting a reaction breathe instead of rushing into the next line.

That stands out because the story was not about a televised feud or a headline angle. It was about a veteran seeing where a live crowd would go next and adjusting the performance around that response.

Quote from CJ Perry

"Back in 2016 in San Jose, I got to see up close how smart Brock is to this business. It was Brock vs. Rusev on some WWE live events, and my husband and I were just starting out. Before the show, Paul Heyman gave me pointers on part of my promo and then asked Brock what he thought about it.

Brock took a second and thought, and then gave me notes on how I could say it. He took what Paul and I had come up with, and spun it in a completely different direction by anticipating the audience's reaction, and then having a plan to deal with that reaction."

Perry later described the advice Lesnar gave her after the segment and match were over:

"We went out there that night and did our promo, and the match with Brock vs. Rusev was incredible. When we came back, Brock pulled me aside and gave me notes on my execution. He told me I was 'stepping on my own pop by not allowing them to boo longer' and to 'wait a bit longer for the crowd to start chanting.' It was incredible advice I got from Brock, and the whole experience really helped Miro and I grow as performers and on the mic."

She also said the experience changed how she viewed Lesnar backstage:

"But I was more blown away by how wise Brock was to this business. I guess I bought into what he wants us all to see, which is the viking destroyer character, but backstage there's few smarter than him in knowing how to pull the most from a beat, or a movement or a moment."

What the story says about Brock Lesnar

Perry's comments frame Lesnar as more than a special-attraction presence. If her account is any indication, one of his strengths in WWE was understanding exactly when to pause and let a crowd finish the job for you.

That kind of timing matters because it can shape everything from a ringside promo to the feel of a major match. In Perry's case, she said that advice directly helped her and Miro develop their on-screen work.

Sources

As reported by Fightful.