10 Most Improved Wrestlers Of The Past Decade
4. Rusev
Rusev's tenure in NXT came just before the developmental territory began its run on the WWE Network - so when 'The Bulgarian Brute' came up to the main roster, nobody really knew what to expect. Pretty soon, it was clear that he was just another big man who was squashing others en route to a push as a foreign heel. While he showed some skill in matches with Big E, most pegged him as a Vladimir Kozlov redux.
After winning the U.S. Title and being placed into a feud with John Cena, though, Rusev showed that he was more than just a stiff - he could easily hold up his end of a main-event program. While Cena's series of wins over Rusev ruined the star's momentum, it was clear that some true talent was beginning to emerge. The vulnerability that Rusev would develop added a ton of depth to his character and performances.
Today, Rusev is still in the midcard, but he's one of the most consistent and underrated performers in WWE. With his skill and huge personality, there's no question that he has a successful babyface run somewhere in his future.