10 WWE Wrestlers We Initially Misjudged

The uncomfortable memory of Vladimir Kozlov - WWE's other, less successful Eastern European experiment - still being fresh in our minds explains why there were one or two doubts surrounding Rusev when he began a familiar-sounding winning streak following his main roster debut in 2014.

But these days the Bulgarian Brute is regarded as a reliable worker who is more than capable of holding his own inside the ring, something he proved during his matches with John Cena last year.

In fact, many fans have now earmarked Rusev as a potential "dream opponent" for the returning Kurt Angle, which just three years ago would have seemed absurd to anyone who watched internet commentators (understandably) decry the push of yet another cookie-cutter foreign, American-hating heel.