Rusev has not been seen on WWE’s weekly programming since his loss to Jey Uso in the quarterfinals of The Last Time Is Now Tournament last November. A recent update sheds light on the reasons behind the “Bulgarian Brute’s” absence from the ring.
During an episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer disclosed that Rusev’s return is expected soon. He also pointed out that WWE mishandled Rusev’s character development. According to the Netflix series WWE Unreal, Rusev, now 40, was originally being prepared for a main event role. Meltzer explained, “He was very disappointed. If you watch the Unreal show, you’ll see he was being groomed for the top spot. He was supposed to lose to Cody Rhodes in the King of the Ring finals and then face Jey Uso for the title at a pay-per-view. These plans were in place, but ultimately didn’t come to fruition. They didn’t bring him in to alienate him; they genuinely wanted to push him.” Meltzer added that despite Rusev’s imposing presence, he struggled to bounce back, which has contributed to where he stands now.
Besides not appearing on WWE Raw or SmackDown, Rusev hasn’t participated in any televised matches or house shows this year, although he had a few matches on WWE Main Event last December. With the Royal Rumble set for this Saturday, Meltzer hinted that Rusev might make a surprise return in the match, suggesting he’s close to making his comeback.
Fan Take: Rusev’s stalled push represents a missed opportunity for WWE to build a compelling main event contender with a unique presence. His anticipated return could reinvigorate storylines and add fresh excitement to WWE’s landscape, reminding fans of the potential still waiting to be unleashed within the roster.
