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What's the story?
Rusev hasn't been seen in the WWE lately as he is currently on a break. The former United States Champion recently revealed in an interview why Vince McMahon changed his original name, in an interview with At Cafe.
Rusev revealed that McMahon didn't like the name Alexander as he felt people would start calling him Alex.
In case you didn't know...
Rusev joined WWE back in 2010, and worked in Florida Championship Wrestling developmental territory, which later became NXT. His first ring name in WWE was Alexander Rusev, which was later shortened to Rusev.
The Bulgarian Brute has won the US Championship thrice, with the last time coming earlier this year, when he lost the title to Shinsuke Nakamura at Royal Rumble. Rusev hasn't been on WWE television for quite a while, having last appeared at the Super Showdown event last month, while he was on a hiatus before that as well.
Also Read: WWE News: Rusev reveals WWE changed his character due to 2016 US Presidential elections
The heart of the matter
In the interview, Rusev spoke about the inspiration for his name, and why Vince McMahon decided to change it and shortened to Rusev.
"[WWE] gives you an option to submit names you like. And I was thinking about it. Then to make a joke with my friend Vasil, Vasil Rusev, who I used to share a rowing boat with, I chose Rusev. And I was Alexander Rusev with Alexander later being dropped.
"I liked Alexander because it sounded [mighty] and Bulgarian. But then it got dropped because Vince Mcmahon said 'Ugh, Alexander, they'll start calling you Alex as a nickname and you have to be a Russian/Bulgarian villain, we're dropping it'," said Rusev. (H/T WrestlingInc)
What's next?
Rusev is on a break at the moment, and we hope that WWE gives him more screen time when he returns to WWE.
