8 Ups And 5 Downs From WWE Raw (Dec 23)

5. Rusev Carefree, All Business At Same Time

Way too often, we see a babyface who is all smiles who can’t focus once the bell rings. They’re often billed as “a fun-loving guy who loves to have fun.”

So when Rusev bounded down to ringside holding up fans’ signs, slapping hands and smiling, you had to wonder if he had just transitioned into that goofy face mode. He talked about being upset about being cheated out of a victory at TLC and that he would get his revenge, but he felt that letting Bobby Lashley marry his ex-wife Lana was punishment enough for now.

And then out came the epitome of that fun-loving persona, No Way Jose.

But once the bell rang, Rusev’s expression changed. He went on the offensive, nailed a Machka Kick and picked up the win. As soon as the bout was over, he helped Jose up, danced, and then partied with the conga line.

As mentioned before, if there’s one positive to come from this godawful feud, it’s that Rusev has clearly established himself as a good guy, but it doesn’t look like he’s had to sacrifice being all-business during matches.