Road to Wrestlemania 31: Rusev

Rusev, unlike a few other WWE superstars, has been booked rather soundly – he is still undefeated for more than a year now. 2014 was a momentous year for the big Bulgarian, as he carries a substantial head of steam into Wrestlemania 31, presumably to face the colossus that is John Cena. Though Roman Reigns has been touted as the next top baby face in the company, it is an ode to Rusev's inertia that despite having them wrestle twice on Smackdown, WWE did not have Rusev lose to Reigns on either occasion. Here is a look at the 2014 that Rusev enjoyed, and the path that lies ahead for the Hero of the Russian Federation.

#1 How 2014 played out for Rusev?

After breaking ground in the WWE with a dominant display at the 2014 Royal Rumble, Alexander Rusev proceeded on to tear through the locker-room and finished 2014 on an undeniable high. That WWE has, thus far, maintained his undefeated streak points to the dominant Bulgarian’s in-ring prowess. Through the course of 2014, Rusev has been one of WWE’s top performers both on the mic in the ring - eliciting crowd reactions almost on every episode of Raw, consistently.Rusev’s microphone skills are highly underrated and almost pass under the radar unnoticed. Don’t get me wrong; Rusev will never reel off catch-phrases like The Rock or talk trash like Austin, but his insults on Americans are quirky and worth a chuckle to say the least. Unlike superstars like Cesaro, not having the clearest diction of English doesn’t hold Rusev back from grabbing the microphone from Lana and having a verbal go at his opponents.While his anti-american gimmick has been employed by the WWE before, Lana, his “Social Ambassador” adds dimensionality to the presentation and delivery of this gimmick. Overall, Rusev has been one of the superstars of the year for me, and unsurprisingly, he was awarded the Pro Wrestling Illustrated’s Most Improved Superstar for 2014, as well as the joint award, along with Lana, for Best Gimmick, conferred upon him by the Wrestling Observer Newsletter.

#2 Momentum heading into Wrestlemania 31

With Brock Lesnar, “The Beast Incarnate”, not sure to continue in WWE after Wrestlemania 31, Rusev steps up as the superstar with arguably the most momentum heading into the grand spectacle. Victories over Zach Ryder, Xavier Woods and R-Truth, Big E Langston, Jack Swagger, Mark Henry, Big Show, Sheamus (to capture the WWE US Title) and finally John Cena, in that order, shows that Rusev has steadily asserted his dominance through the WWE hierarchy. When it became apparent that Roman Reigns was set to win the Royal Rumble, a concerted “We want Rusev!” chant emanating from the audience, though stemming primarily from the frustration of Daniel Bryan being eliminated, served as evidence that Rusev has indeed impressed one and all.A win over John Cena at Fastlane, though engineered by means of a low blow, really lent itself to the premise that Rusev, now, is ready to rub shoulders with the best, in the ring. After the victory, Rusev has not granted Cena a rematch yet, but it seems likely that Rusev’s Wrestlemania 31 opponent will be none other than the Leader of the Cenation.

#3 What to expect from Rusev at Wrestlemania 31?

At Wrestlemania 31, unless WWE pulls off an unlikely swerve, Rusev is all set to take on John Cena. Expect a match that has Rusev coming out strongly and dominating John Cena, only for John Cena to catch his second wind and fight back - a vintage John Cena match.Personally though, I would like to see Rusev and Cena have an equally contested, to-and-fro match that changes momentum several times during its course. Their match at Fastlane, though by no means a classic, still showcased potential as to what they could deliver at Wrestlemania 31.Since the WWE has developed Rusev as the anti-american heel, I don’t see how they would let him score a victory over an ex-US marine at the biggest stage of them all. That being said, the fact that the WWE is phasing out John Cena from the “top guy” spot and having him compete in the mid card, offers a glimmer of hope for a Rusev victory at Wrestlemania 31. WWE has also hinted at a John Cena heel turn in a recently concluded Monday Night Raw episode and if the WWE does decide to turn Cena heel, it would be a historic moment for wrestling as a whole. If the angle to turn Cena heel heats up, having Cena lose to Rusev at Wrestlemania 31 could be incorporated into the story line as the “final straw” or “breaking point” after which Cena can turn heel. This would really put Rusev over, as well as breathe fresh life into the somewhat stale character that is John Cena now.

#4 Immediate aftermath following Wrestlemania 31

Even if John Cena picks up a victory over Rusev at Wrestlemania 31, as long as the WWE book the match the right way, Rusev can still come out looking strong. If the WWE book the match as a stereotypical John Cena match, it doesn’t do much for either Rusev or Cena. Cena is already an established superstar who does not need a dominant victory over Rusev right now. Rusev on the other hand, could go on to become a top heel for the company if he defeats Cena. In the event of Rusev successfully defending his US Title at Wrestlemania 31, a possible feud with the returning Sheamus, who originally lost the title to Rusev, could be on the cards. Another possibility, which is a mouth-watering prospect I might add, is having Rusev feud with either Dean Ambrose or Dolph Ziggler. Assuming that the WWE looks likely to put the IC title on Daniel Bryan, both Dean Ambrose and Dolph Ziggler would be available to challenge Rusev for the US Title if he does retain against Cena. However, if Rusev ends up losing at Wrestlemania 31, like countless monster heels in the past, I can see Rusev being relegated to a mid-card spot in the immediate future. A loss could also trigger a change of gimmick for Rusev, and one can only hope that he does not return with a character like that of the truly awful Lord Tensai, or the truly embarrassing Funkasaurus.

#5 Future stock/card position leading to Wrestlemania 32

If booked in the proper vein, Rusev could possibly go on to become one of the top heels in the company. Rusev is one of those rare physically gifted superstars who could have good matches with speedy, athletic welterweights such as Ambrose, Zigger, Rollins or Bryan, as well as with heavyweight powerhouses such as Cena, Reigns, Sheamus or Cesaro without anyone having to carry him through a match. A potential dream match-up in Wrestlemania 32 for Rusev would be against Samoa Joe, subject, of course ,to whether negotiations between Joe and the WWE bear fruition. Both Rusev and Samoa Joe are wrestlers whose athletic ability and speed belie their appearances. It would be an intense encounter at Wrestlemania 32 between the two, if the WWE does indeed make it happen.