It’s incredible to think of how far Rusev has come in his WWE career. With relatively little experience, he joined WWE developmental in 2010. After spending over three years in FCW and then the rebranded NXT, he made his main roster debut as an Anti-American Russian heel, managed by Lana.
He would go on to be undefeated for a year, even capturing the United States Championship in the process. His gimmick would switch back and forth before eventually settling on being a Bulgarian (which he actually happens to be). Rusev’s dream out-of-character, however, was to be the first to break the stereotype of being a foreigner who’s a bad guy. It took him a few years but thanks to the immense popularity of Rusev Day, he and Lana had even managed to turn face.
The Bulgarian Brute has been a staple of the main roster, facing the best of the best and competing for virtually all the top titles. We take a look at his five best matches on the main roster.
Next Page: Rusev’s 5 Best Matches
