10 Most Improved WWE Superstars Of 2016

7. Rusev

Rusev was already a known quantity at the start of the year. It was hard to gauge his skills as a performer when he was murdering local talents in his early career, but it soon became apparent that he was very comfortable in a WWE ring. He has since become one of WWE’s best powerhouse wrestlers, and 2016 has been his most impressive year of growth yet.

He started the year as part of the miserable League of Nations, but that insipid stable thankfully fell apart shortly after WrestleMania. The League went their separate ways, and Rusev went on a mission to reclaim the United States Championship he’d lost to John Cena in 2015. Though he’s spent the past few months being beaten like a drum by Roman Reigns, Rusev continues to shine, and his under-utilized talents unquestionably deserve a bigger push in 2016.

As solid as Rusev is in the ring, his character work has improved tenfold this year. He benefits from Lana’s talents as a manager, but Rusev has become a comfortable, authoritative talker in his own right. The Bulgarian Brute brings an odd sense of charisma to the table, and absurd segments like last month’s “Meet the Rusevs” have helped make him one of the most entertaining performers in the company.