Rusev is going to fizzle out....

[snazzy]

I'm not sure he will fizzle any time soon considering the push he's receiving. He's slowly getting pushed up the roster and might fill the role of monster heel in the future.

 

[Radical]

I cannot stand anyone who wrestles in bare feet and, like Rock said, trunks that are hiked up to his nipples.

It's unappealing to watch. If I can't watch it then I can't get invested in it to pay to see it.

Someone can call me when he gets beat clean and he's on his way down and out but until then, I just hope he doesn't get any higher than the US title.

 

[Navi]

You know the situation is pretty bad when the manager gets more attention than the person they are managing.

Lana draws the heat, Rusev is in a word "boring". Now I'm not saying he isn't a good wrestler, he is, but the gimmick they've stuck him with is a one trick pony and it's rapidly in my eye's anyway running out of steam.

I was watching him on a couple of RAW's ago and when Lana started talking the crowd was booing, as soon as she shut up they did. He started making noises, waving his arms around and you could literally hear nothing. The people sitting behind him in the picture were looking around, and starting to get up and move around. That's never a good sign when the crowd goes to the washroom when you're on.

He could be something if he got the right gimmick, problem is, I have no idea what that would be.

 

[MERPER]

Well, I never thought Rusev was going to fizzle out and having the Rock run a segment with him certainly suggests that isn't going to happen any time soon.

Rock comes to Brooklyn says he wants to do a segment and not only does WWE choose to put him with Rusev, but Rock accepts that one.

Clearly people in the business think highly of him.

 

[THTRobtaylor]

He's not fizzling any time soon... he is simmering nicely and the Rock interaction was a major coup... BUT

Don't for a SECOND think it's cos he is "thought highly of"...

It was a purely political move... they had just had the flag stuff so this week they give Rusev something pretty "substantial"...it's not rocket science, the company is getting heat for Big Show dropping a flag so they make Rusev the focal point as a "make up". They also drop the Rock's theme 3 or 4 minutes before the hour, so Twitter etc goes nuts and people change the channel... so this episode will have a massive ratings spike. Pretty smart on WWE's part considering the Kathy Lee stuff tanked.

BUT

The segment was vintage Rock, he could have shown up and phoned in a segment (or even done the satellite thing) but he clearly put some work into it both live and before hand, he put Lana over and make Rusev look a credible threat...who someone of his level would a) be aware of and b) think important enough to want to interrupt... of course he "handed his candy ass" to him but he's THE FRICKING ROCK!

In terms of exposure, it puts Rusev into that upper midcard territory/main event level rather than with the other recent debuts... even Bo is moving into the IC picture now but Rusev has bypassed that now, even the supposed US title feud with Sheamus... now he's facing bigger fish.

What this showed was that Rusev and Lana are ready to step it up a notch in who they face AND think about it... Survivor Series is next month, traditionally that is a PPV that Dwayne likes to work... he can run a tag match and get the same payday.

I can very easily see a 5 on 5 Team Bring It vs Team Rusev scenario developing. Rusev, The Dusts, Cesaro and Luke Harper vs Rock, The Usos, Sheamus and ostensibly Big Show... heels take out Big Show and the mystery partner.... Kurt Angle... It would also deflect if Brock isn't present. a 5 on 5 scenario protects Dwayne and allows Rusev a "defeat" to someone of the Rock or Angles level, but with reduced damage to him... Being eliminated in Survivor Series doesn't damage someone as much as one on one...and if he loses that pin to the Rock, then he's covered...
Even if they don't do this route, it showed that they could trust Rusev and Lana with someone like a Kurt return and make it work.

Lana deserved a lot of credit in that segment too, she handled it well, didn't fluff her lines and gave the right air of disrespect to the Rock to make the beating he took all the better.

 

[Rusty]

I think people are reading way too much into the Rusev/Rock segment on Raw.

Rusev is just another monster for Cena or Reigns to squash, there's been a hundred guys like Rusev before him and there will be 100 guys like him, after him. Umaga, Kozlov and Tensai just to name a few guys in a similar position, who are now nowhere to be seen (yes Umaga is dead but unfortunately he was irrelevant before that too).

I just don't understand what exactly Vince still sees in this type of wrestler. In my book it does nothing to help push any other talent, and let's be honest, we all know Rusev ain't gonna put on five star matches any time soon. His undefeated streak ended by the Big Show? That's when you know you're fucked.

He'll get pushed to Wrestlemania, if he even makes it that far, before falling all the way down the ladder. He's supposed to be boring, and him and Lana play that role to perfection, but he isn't a guy who's going to be there in the long term, just another foreign wrestler using the same old storyline they've been using for decades.

 

[MERPER]

I think people are reading way too much into the Rusev/Rock segment on Raw.

Anyone thinking it means there will be a WrestleMania match I agree.

But I maintain that the segment was massive for Rusev's staying power.

The Rock has stated before that if he ever comes back for special segments/matches he'd only work with certain guys on the roster that he believes would be worth it.

So, he obviously likes Rusev and/or his angle. That would also mean WWE writers and execs like the guy as they were either the ones who suggested it to The Rock or agreed to The Rock's suggestion to do something with Rusev.

Now, what it means for the extreme future? No way to predict that. Rusev could go on to fizzle out in a year or 2 or whatever. But for now, it is clearly a big boost to Rusev and his character.