WWE star Rusev was recently interviewed on the Bulgarian show, “At Cafe,” to discuss several professional wrestling topics. During the interview, the former United States Champion revealed why Vince McMahon opted to remove the “Alexander” portion of his name early on in his time with the company.
Here’s what he had to say (H/T Wrestling Inc. for the quotes):
[WWE] gives you an option to submit names you like. And I was thinking about it. Then to make a joke with my friend Vasil, Vasil Rusev, who I used to share a rowing boat with, I chose Rusev. And I was Alexander Rusev with Alexander later being dropped. I liked Alexander because it sounded [mighty] and Bulgarian. But then it got dropped because Vince Mcmahon said ‘Ugh, Alexander, they’ll start calling you Alex as a nickname and you have to be a Russian/Bulgarian villain, we’re dropping it’.
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