WWE has been building new stars for a while now. When you look through the WWE roster, nobody can deny the dominance of the “Super Athlete” Rusev. With help from his manager Lana, Rusev has steamrolled the competition. He has destroyed everyone in his path, and I have no reason to believe Sheamus will stop him.
Sheamus has become another name on the roster at this point. The U.S. Championship has not been highlighted much for several years. Ambrose held the belt for a long time and defended it infrequently, there was almost no point in having the title active. Sheamus has defended the title three times on PPV since winning a battle royal in May. Twice against Cesaro, and once against The Miz.With Rusev calling out Sheamus, the end is nigh for the Irishman.
Why is Rusev getting this push? What makes him so special? Is it because Vince McMahon likes big guys? Or maybe he actually deserves everything he is getting?
I firmly believe Rusev is an intelligent guy with a ton of potential. He made his debut in 2008 after emigrating from Bulgaria and never looked back. It’s not everyday you pick up a wrestler with his presence from an eastern European country. He is still a rookie in terms of experience, but it doesn’t show through. He doesn’t make mistakes, his matches are flawless, and his technique is sound. It’s rare to see a big man execute dropkicks and flawless suplex.
Rusev’s streak continues on, and I don’t mind that. Maybe it’s because I’m English and I find the anti-American gimmick funny? Maybe just a bit. It’s a cheap gimmick for sure, it’s easy to do, but it’s a tried-and-true formula so why not? Rusev and Lana do a great job at getting the crowd to hate them, so it gives their opponents something to fight for … the good ol’ U.S. of A. It can turn almost any talent into someone the crowd can get behind, and that is a pretty neat tool for Rusev and Lana to have. There is plenty of time for Rusev to grow and evolve into something more, but it’s OK, there’s no rush. The foundations are being laid down for the years ahead.
And then you have The Rock. He appears out of nowhere and gives Rusev a career moment. Rusev didn’t come out on the winning side, but the fact he wasn’t fazed speaks volumes. The Rock could have returned to confront a well known name, but instead WWE put him in the ring with Rusev. It would be an interesting match for sure.
When Rusev claims the United States title, I can only imagine it being the stepping stone he needs to reach the next level. The bigger men on the roster (Kane, Big Show, Henry) are coming to the end of their careers, meaning WWE need Rusev to fill that spot.
And finally I will bring up Lana. She plays the part really well, and it’s got to the point I don’t want to see the partnership of Rusev and Lana come to an end. She is like the “Paul Bearer” to The Undertaker, she gives Rusev direction, and she’s not too bad to look at either. I would like to see her do a little more at ringside going forward.
This has been a brief one from me. I hope you all had a nice Halloween. Thanks for reading.
