10 Most Cringeworthy Political Angles In WWE History
9. Rusev, Hero Of The Russian Federation
Professional wrestling loves a Russian boogeyman. The Koloffs, Bolsheviks, and a number of others have filled the role over the years, with the gimmick particularly pertinent throughout the Cold War era. Wrestling’s Russian heels played-on America’s growing paranoia towards the hammer and sickle, and while the gimmick isn’t quite as relevant today as it was back then, Rusev and Lana revived it in 2014.
It’s easy to forget just how cringeworthy these two were upon debuting. Rusev and Lana played the anti-American, pro-Russian act to a tee, with with Bulgarian Rusev standing as a “Hero of the Russian Federation,” they indulged in all kinds of textbook heel antics to get over.
They laid into the American way of life at every opportunity and displayed huge pictures of Vladimir Putin on the Titantron. They attacked the American flag, and became enraged when that cheeky scamp the Big Show tore the Russian equivalent down on Raw. WrestleMania 31 saw Rusev emerge on a tank, and his early career saw him engage in a series of battles with noted American patriots Jack Swagger, John Cena, and, ahem, Sheamus.
WWE have fortunately removed the majority of their hokiness since then. The anti-American sentiment remains, but it’s not as pronounced as before, and the cartoonish antics are dead and gone. They don’t carry a flag anymore, and they’re no longer boasting about buddying-up with Putin. The results? Rusev is one of the best heels in the company, and Lana the best manager not named “Paul Heyman.”