WWE News: Rusev reveals WWE changed his character due to 2016 US Presidential elections

What's the story?

Rusev has been quite an overlooked character lately in WWE, with reports of his contract with Vince McMahon's promotion rumoured to expire soon.

But, a few years ago, Rusev was touted to be a top Superstar in WWE, only for him to fall by the wayside.

Now, Rusev has revealed how his pro-Russia gimmick was changed due to the 2016 US Presidential race that Donald Trump won.

In case you didn't know...

Rusev has been with the WWE for almost a decade after having come through WWE's developmental territory, FCW, back in 2010, and then moved over to NXT, before a switch to the main roster in 2014. He then adopted a pro-Vladimir Putin character, a typical foreign heel going against the American Superstars.

But he then had to drop that gimmick, and later became popular for the "Rusev Day" gimmick with Aiden English in WWE.

The heart of the matter

In an interview with Video DIRBG, a Bulgarian site, Rusev spoke about several things, and also revealed how his character had to undergo a change because of the 2016 US Presidential elections.

"It's true, we keep up and Vince [McMahon] keeps up with what's going on globally. He noticed that tension between Russia and America at the time and that's when it was decided that I'll go represent Russia and Putin and whatnot. But things changed, [Donald] Trump was elected as US President and he is a WWE Hall Of Famer etc," said Rusev. (H/T WrestlingInc for the transcription)

Current US President Donald Trump is, of course, a WWE Hall of Famer, in 2013, before WrestleMania 29.

What's next?

It remains to be seen when and if Rusev will return to the WWE ring, with his last appearance at Super Showdown in a 50-man Battle Royal.