Rusev Upset With WWE Management?

The Bulgarian Brute doesn't sound happy in this new interview...

Rusev Lana
WWE.com

The past few weeks haven't been kind to Rusev, who lost his WWE United States Championship to Shinsuke Nakamura on the Royal Rumble 2019 Kickoff Show, was subjected to an ill-conceived heel turn two nights later on SmackDown, then found himself defeated by R-Truth in barely a minute.

'The Bulgarian Brute' and Lana were guests on Lilian Garcia's Chasing Glory podcast this week, and the big man doesn't sound pleased with where he's at in the company:-

" I do wanna be at my best because I wanna be WWE Champion. I want to be on top. I don’t want to be forgotten but that’s what irks me is I do all these things but nothing changes and that is where the frustration comes. What am I supposed to do? I cut my hair, I did that. It was not a good decision.”

With her husband sounding despondent, Lana pointed out the graft Rusev had put in to drop 50 pounds, improve his all-round game, and try to grab Vince McMahon's attention. Per Rusev himself, it doesn't seem to be working:-

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“I’m just trying something to catch Vince’s eye with this and that. We go, we pitch, we talk. It never comes to anything.”

Speaking on his unpopular split with Aiden English:-

“Who’s to say [why WWE did it]? Management had different visions. We fought, we fought. If it ain’t broke, there’s nothing to fix.”

This was only part one of the interview. The second half will be released next week, and promises further headlines if it's even half as pointed as this one.

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Speculation on Rusev's WWE future seems to mount every couple of months, though he didn't sound like a happy employee while speaking with Garcia. Perhaps he, like The Revival and co., feels emboldened by the new opportunities promised by All Elite Wrestling.

Or maybe it'll come to nothing, like it usually does.

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Channel Manager
Channel Manager

Andy has been with WhatCulture for six years and is currently WhatCulture's Senior Wrestling Reporter. A writer, presenter, and editor with 10+ years of experience in online media, he has been a sponge for all wrestling knowledge since playing an old Royal Rumble 1992 VHS to ruin in his childhood. Having previously worked for Bleacher Report, Andy specialises in short and long-form writing, video presenting, voiceover acting, and editing, all characterised by expert wrestling knowledge and commentary. Andy is as much a fan of 1985 Jim Crockett Promotions as he is present-day AEW and WWE - just don't make him choose between the two.