7 WWE Returns That Flopped HARD!

5. Rusev

There is still time for Rusev to change the fortunes of his second run in WWE but the signs do not currently look good. During his first run in WWE, Vince McMahon clearly didn't see the high potential in the Bulgarian that fans insisted existed. After years of bad creative and WWE's decision makers overlooking gimmicks that were over with audiences (we still love you, Rusev Day), he was finally granted his release in 2020.

He soon jumped ship to AEW, appearing as Miro and having a superb run with the TNT championship and a great feud with Darby Allin. After he wasn't pushed into the company's main event scene, relationships soured between Tony Khan and the Bulgarian Brute, leading to his release in September, 2024.

When Rusev came back to the WWE under Paul Levesque's stewardship, expectations for him were pretty high. Nevertheless, Rusev has done little to recapture the love of WWE fans, as he languishes in WWE's lower mid-card. Despite being booked as a threat in feuds with Sheamus and Dominik Mysterio, fans have not reacted to Rusev in any meaningful way. He lasted 32 seconds in the 2026 Royal Rumble before being eliminated by Oba Femi. There's still time for Rusev to find a way to connect with fans, but it's going to take a lot more than he has shown up to this point.