10 Quick WWE Fixes To Save Rusev
8. The Streak
Rusev's original main roster call-up was boosted by an impressive undefeated streak that lasted all the way from his April Monday Night Raw debut all the way through to the following year's WrestleMania 31. It remains one of the company's least celebrated undefeated streaks, especially considering the quality of contests that far outstripped previous recent unbeaten runs for the likes of Ryback and The New Day.
On a midcard that cried out for something more satisfying outside of dynamic clashes featuring Daniel Bryan and The Shield, Rusev fleshed out his contemporary spin on the russophillic stereotype in a selection of choice matches against a parade of unwitting flag fliers as he raised his profile in record time.
Contests against Big E, Jack Swagger and Mark Henry were substantially better than they had any right to be, and the feud with Sheamus that earned him the United States title was one of the more underrated conflicts of the year. Perpetually in a trough between fleeting peaks, 'The Great White' seemed substantially more motivated in there with his boar-like rival, and showed fire he wouldn't again until his celebrated frenemy angle with Cesaro in 2016.
Handled with care, an undefeated streak almost always works as an upturn in a performer's fortunes, and Rusev has already shown that he has the chops to carry the pressure of the task.