EXCLUSIVE: Miroslav “Miro” Barnyashev and his wife, manager and producing partner, CJ Perry, have returned to WWE, in new deals negotiated by Paradigm, their agents. They solidified the rejuvenated collaboration by appearing this evening at Netflix’s Monday Night Raw as part of the ongoing events celebrating WrestleMania 41 in Las Vegas.
Barnyashev previously wrestled under the name Rusev when he joined WWE in 2014. He originally presented as a dominant, undefeated Bulgarian brute alongside Perry, under the name Lana. He is a three-time WWE United States Champion. He competed at multiple WrestleManias and headlined several PPVs, feuding with top stars including John Cena (WrestleMania 31), Roman Reigns, Randy Orton, and AJ Styles. He became a breakout crossover personality due to his comedic timing, crowd connection, and versatility. During pandemic-related talent cuts, Barnyashev was released in April 2020.
Barnyashev pivoted to AEW in September 2020 under the name Miro. He captured the AEW TNT Championship in May 2021 and held it for 140 days. During his time with the company, he portrayed the “Redeemer” character, blending intensity, comedy, and promos about “his God and his hot wife.” His last AEW appearance was December 30, 2023, and he was officially released in February 2025.
He returns to WWE under a two-year deal.
Perry first appeared in WWE in 2013 and debuted on the main roster a year later as Lana, Rusev’s manager and mouthpiece. She played a key role in elevating his early dominance with her commanding promos and presence, later transitioning into in-ring competition and featuring in several high-profile storylines. Perry was released from WWE in 2021.
She followed Barnyashev to AEW in 2023, managing him again and participating in key storylines. She left the company a year later. Perry returns to the WWE under a Legends Deal signed earlier this month.
“Rusev is back to crush the WWE and become World Champion,” shared Perry. “We have been cooking this up from our Bulgarian kitchen since the day we left, and with the help of Paradigm, we were able to make this a reality! Machka Crush,” she added.
The Barnyashevses will continue expanding their footprint in Hollywood as they will next star in the action comedy feature, Guns Up, led by Kevin James. Miroslav Barnyashev previously made a guest appearance on the CBS series East New York.
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