I'm not sure how many of you would agree with me on this, but I genuinely think Rusev has all the attributes to become a Superstar in the WWE. The Bulgarian brute has often been overlooked by both the officials backstage and the fans watching at home.
He's been portrayed as a snack far too often, a heel that's fed to all the powerful babyfaces. As a result, he's not taken seriously anymore but I'm here to show you how we can reverse all this and turn the Bulgarian brute into a household name.
Here are five ways the WWE can turn Rusev into a star.
#5 Let him display his FULL move set
There's more than meets the eye with the former NXT performer. For those that don't know, Rusev is an astute student of the martial arts, Muay Thai. One glance at Rusev and you'd be forgiven for thinking the 31-year old is just a strong beefy brute. However, the truth is, Rusev is agile, lean, flexible, dense and light on his feet.
While down in NXT recovering from a neck injury, Rusev travelled to Thailand where he learned the martial art of Muay Thai in a training camp. He learnt this to improve his stand-up striking, back leg kicks and clinching techniques. The guy is literally the definition of a one-man wrecking machine and he has the ability to go toe to toe with any man on the roster.
It's time to let the WWE Universe see this side of him and therefore respect him for the super athlete and destructive force he is.
#4 Have him split from Lana
She's a nice asset to have, but if she's not assisting him week in week out like Maryse with the Miz, she's not needed. In recent years, Lana has only acted as a hindrance to the Bulgarian brute, she's unfortunately been the centre of attention in many arenas around the world.
When they chant "We want Lana" it does nothing for Rusev but devalue his worth to the show.
He was being used as a pawn for the popularity of Lana, instead of it being the other way round. She took away the spotlight from him instead of contributing to his shine. There were rumours before, that Lana was set to be given a singles push around the 2015 Summerslam.
However, an injury put a dent to this plan and ultimately she continued to hinder the career of the Bulgarian brute.
#3 Let him talk more:
I'm sure I'm not the only one that's always been impressed by Rusev's mic skills. The man is a born entertainer whether it be through his awe-inspiring presence or cultured tongue, he's awesome. If you don't believe me, go to YouTube and search for all of Rusev's promos in the ring, he's funny, intimidating and authoritative all at the same time.
Despite being Bulgarian, Rusev has the ability to orchestrate an effective promo on the mic, he knows enough English to portray a heel narrative and meaningfully sell a storyline. Some would even argue that he's better on the mic than Roman Reigns.
Rusev has a personality, give him the opportunity to showcase it on TV without getting kicked in the face after it. He doesn't always have to bash the American nation, just let him sell how dominant and commanding he can be and you'll see the results.
#2 Stop feeding him to "legends"
Why is it that every time a “legend” returns to Monday Night Raw, Rusev is the one that ends up on the receiving end of a finisher. I know it's nice when legends return to the WWE, they come back and receive massive ovations from the crowd, but why do we have to sacrifice the appeal of the current roster for the short-term excitement of an ex-wrestler?
Why do the WWE always have to send out some poor mid-card heel to receive a meaningless beating?
The justification behind it is always 'well they're getting a rub with a star.' In truth, however, they're being devalued by a part-timer. At Wrestlemania 32, Rusev received a Stone Cold stunner from Austin, upon Goldberg's return to RAW he received a spear, Lesnar squashed him in a match in Mexico and this week he received a sweet chin music from the Heartbreak Kid.
Like seriously, give the kid a break.
Rusev's constant involvement with these part-timers either displays the faith the WWE have in him or how much of a joke he's truly become. Either way, this has to stop. The former US champion deserves more than to be the butt of every joke on Monday nights. Stop presenting him as a comedy act to the fans and they'll start taking him seriously.
#1 Have him win the Rumble:
It's a bold shout but I've always been a firm believer in shock value. Sometimes to be entertained you must first be shocked and Rusev winning the Royal Rumble would definitely provide that.
Of course, anyone outside of the Undertaker, Goldberg, Brock Lesnar, Chris Jericho, Seth Rollins or Braun Strowman winning the Rumble would be a surprise, but having Rusev do it adds a bit of legitimacy to it. Right now, Rusev is 80/1 to win the Rumble, nobody expects him to win and that's how the WWE should want it.
If Rusev can come out on top with all the names that were billed in the contest, it would transform him into the breakout star he was always meant to be. Imagine a scenario where it's Rusev and Goldberg as the final two, I could picture the whole Alamodome chanting for Rusev to win.
That kind of moment would translate short-term support into long-term momentum for the super athlete.
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