Rusev is finally ready to get back on WWE television, but one rumored comeback plan definitely hasn’t won him over. In fact, he says he hasn’t even heard about it from WWE — and he’s not sure he wants anything to do with it anyway.
Speaking on TMZ’s Inside the Ring, Rusev gave a pretty encouraging update on his health after spending the last few months away. He confirmed that he suffered numbness in his hands after getting kicked in the head, but said he has actually been good to go for around two months now.
“Good. I’ve been out for what, two or three months? I did get kicked in the head, my hands went numb, felt bad, and finished the match. Then I became sick after that. I don’t believe it was related. But I’ve been ready, I’ve been good for two months. I’m just training to go back to TV. I went to NXT and Catch Academy. They called me out of nowhere to go to Hawaii for a live event — of course I will.”
That Hawaii appearance saw Rusev wrestle Joe Hendry on October 16, marking his first match in nearly three months. But despite being healthy and actively preparing for his television comeback, there still doesn’t appear to be a firm date for when WWE will actually put him back on RAW.
Then there’s the recent report claiming Rusev will join Ethan Page and Big Cass as a new three-man stable. Rusev was asked directly about that story, and he made it clear nobody in WWE has told him anything about those plans. He also had some fun with the idea itself. Rusev called it “internet booking” based around throwing three heels together, before joking that Page replacing him with another big guy while he was gone doesn’t exactly make him eager to become his teammate now.
“It’s very internet booking. We have one, two, three bad guys, let’s put them together. I have not heard anything about this, but also, I don’t know if I’m okay with that either. Like, that guy, I left for a couple of months. I got hurt, sickness, and all that. So Page just went out there and found another tall guy to back him up. Like, ‘F you, bro. You never called me, checked on me. You’re just gonna go and find yourself a big guy? Good for you. I don’t wanna be associated with that.’”
Rusev didn’t completely rule out the possibility that the report had been accurate at some point, though. Instead, he pointed out just how quickly WWE’s creative plans can apparently change, suggesting something could be approved one day and disappear the next.
“Also, because someone said that they could have been greenlit on Tuesday, but by the time Wednesday night comes, everything could be scrapped. Everything is changing by the hour and day. It all depends on whose mood. Maybe someone got the right report, but then someone said, ‘Oh no, let’s move away from it,’ then they move away from it.”
So whatever WWE ultimately has waiting for Rusev, he’s healthy and waiting for the call. After months of dealing with an injury and illness, getting him back on television is no longer about whether his body is ready — it’s about what WWE actually decides to do with him.
What direction would you rather see WWE take with Rusev when he returns to television instead of simply putting him into another stable? Let us know what you think in the comments.
This transcript was produced exclusively for Ringside News from the original recording. Republishing the transcription in full is prohibited. When using excerpts, provide prominent credit and a link to this article.
