10 Wrestling Facts We Didn't Know Last Week (Feb 17)
7. Lana Wasn't Keen On The Rocky IV Influence Initially
It was rather obvious as soon as she debuted alongside Rusev in 2014 that Lana was influenced by Ludmilla Drago from Rocky IV. That militant character (played by Brigitte Nielsen) was one WWE were keen to take inspiration from; Lana's hair, outfit and ice-cold demeanour were all lifted from Nielsen's performance.
If WWE officials directing Lana were all for a full-on approach to the character, the pensive performer was caught in two minds regarding the whole ordeal. Much more comfortable as a light-hearted kind of character, the soon-to-be 'Ravishing Russian' actually tried to convince Triple H and Dusty Rhodes that she should be doing comedy instead.
Lana told this story on The Tomorrow Show this past week; further, the blonde bombshell hadn't even seen the Rocky IV movie, and wouldn't watch it until being talked into the serious character by both Dusty and Triple H.
It's fascinating to learn that Lana wasn't too keen on playing a stoic on-screen character. Although her opinion differed from those teaching her, she did go on to say that she's glad they talked her into it.