Rusev requests release

[Richard Blonoff]

After his ten second loss to Randy Orton at SummerSlam Sunday evening, the rumor making the rounds is that Rusev has asked to be released from his contract due to his unhappiness at his treatment, as well as the treatment of Lana.

Both are claiming on social media that the rumors are untrue, but they could just be playing the appearances game.

Even Orton, who is also said to be unhappy with his treatment and position on the card, has reportedly urged WWE officials to grant his release because they aren't treating him fairly and using him to the extent of his talent.

I live Rusev, the guy has a lot of talent but because he is big and foreign the WWE seems to only see angry evil foreigner. They put him in that awful love triangle story with Lana and Summer Rae and Dolph, and while it was shit, at least Rusev did his best to make it work. Just watch the guy on Southpaw or UpUpDownDown, he has the ability to play a character that isn't ethnic badguy, but his entire WWE career has been build him up, sacrifice him to Cena, build him up, sacrifice him to Roman, bring him back from injury, sacrifice him to Cena.

If he does get his wish, where would you like to see him go?

 

[Y 2 Jake]

Smart move. Get out, rehabilitate yourself like McIntyre did (don't stay away too long like John Morrison) and come back when you've shown them what they're missing.

 

[Dmbfantomas]

It's horseshit and not true. Guy who came out with it is chronically full of shit, and Rusev & Lana have both denounced it.

 

[Deoxyribonucleic A.C.I.D.]

I don't think it's true, but what can you really do with Rusev?

He's a jobber to the stars. He was in the same stable as Del Rio, Sheamus and Barrett. Wrestlers I'd like to describe as failed main eventers from 2010-11. To Vince, Rusev will always be a foreign heel. Always. That stigma will never leave Rusev as long as Vince is alive.

I don't really get it. Rusev could easily be a Somoa Joe type of wrestler. His reactions are always too comical. Joe is always serious though. Have they asked him to have over the top reactions or is he a natural? I don't know. But they're not helping him.

I like Rusev and his matches and feuds are always kinda important. Fans care about him. At least he's got that going for him right now.

I don't think he's being released though. He will stick around.

 

[LODemolition]

He has denied these rumors, but if it were true I would say good for him. They've mishandled him for a long time now and it has to be frustrating for him. However, I wouldn't go as far as to say it's too late and there's nothing they can do with him now. I mean look at Mahal, if I had told you at the beginning of the year that he would be WWE Champion, you would have told me I was nuts. I find it pretty ridiculous though that they have him continue losing again immediately when he was finally available again. I mean that was the perfect opportunity to hit the reset button on him and push him at least towards the US Title picture. I would be interested in a Styles/Rusev program.

They should have reunited him with Lana and booked him as a tougher than nails monster. Instead, the only value they seem to find in him is for someone to put Cena and Orton over, and in 10 seconds no less. I find it pathetic that they have all this time while he was on the shelf to come up with something for him and when the time comes that he's ready to go, they apparently put zero thought into it. The powers that be just continue to be careless with guys' careers who have sky-high potential, Luke Harper being another prime example. There's a guy who's nearly 7 feet tall yet moves like a cruiserweight, has a marketable look (in an eerie way), they gave him excellent theme music, and he can't even get on screen for 7-8 minutes in a 2-hour show because they can't come up with squat for him. It blows my mind.

 

[BaconBits]

Jobber to the stars is the most secure job in the company. Rusev isn't an idiot, he knows that. He's not going to leave that security to maybe make decent money on the indies.

 

[The_Misson]

I would love to see Rusev in NJPW. The one thing New Japan really lacks is big powerhouse types of wrestlers. I feel like Rusev could easily come into New Japan and right away get a decent treatment. Plus, it seems like the Japanese crowds always go crazy for big foreigners so I'm sure they'd love him.

 

[Wildcat66]

I really doubt it's true, (if Lana's response on Twitter is anything to go by it, it probably isn't) but if that's the case; then maybe it's for the best.

Rusev has done pretty much everything he can realistically do outside from a face run or a renaissance run in NXT; he's been a champion, a main event threat, a midcarder and a comedic joker.

He's a good worker and maybe in another world, Rusev would have been a world champion and maybe there's still time for him to come back stronger than ever; but in the end, what does he really have left to offer?

The moment he publically announced his marriage with Lana screwed him over considerably, even if his feud with Dolph Ziggler wasn't that great; that was at least a minor screwup and he could have at least still have had a shot. That ship has long since sailed.

That being said; Rusev is likely not leaving anytime soon and if I was WWE, i'd feed into this and let him either rise on SmackDown or go back to NXT as a bitter, angry and let him raise hell on the roster. That would be fun.