WWE star Rusev has recalled getting mixed messages in the past from Vince McMahon about whether he wanted Rusev to be a heel or a babyface. Both Rusev and his wife CJ Perry (Lana) have discussed Rusev’s previous years in WWE and communications with Vince McMahon.
The ‘300 Pound Bulgarian Brute’
On the Identity Crisis podcast, Perry told a story about what Vince McMahon said to Rusev when he dropped some weight back in 2019. “He goes, ‘I want my 300 pound Bulgarian Brute. That man puts asses in seats. That heel.’ He goes, ‘I want you as a heel, I want you 300 pounds, Bulgarian Brute, because that sells tickets.’
“You (Rusev) said, ‘Turn me heel, brother.’ You said, ‘I’m the best heel in the business, turn me heel.’ I’ll never forget this. Vince was like, ‘I have so many babyfaces, but I don’t have any 300-pound Bulgarian Brutes.’ What he was saying is that, in this world, Eastern Europeans and Russians are conditioned to be the bad guys, and I know you have studied all the greatest bad guys and villains in TV and movies, and you had really perfected that. And that was really in my opinion his back way of complimenting, saying you’re the best at being a villain.”
‘Mixed Messages’
Rusev then went onto say McMahon had given him mixed messages in the past about whether he wanted Rusev to be a heel or a babyface, including in 2016.
“He called me in the office before the Goldberg thing, saying, ‘Hey, do this favor for me and I’m gonna owe you one.’ And then he said, ‘What do you think about turning babyface?’ I’m like, ‘Vince, if you’re behind it, I’m behind it, because I know it’s gonna work.’ So he’s asked me to be a babyface before. But then he’s asked me to be a heel again after. That’s what I’m saying, there’s all these mixed messages with nothing in between.”
Rusev is currently in his second run with WWE on the Raw brand, where he is involved in a rivalry with Men’s Intercontinental Champion Dominik Mysterio. Vince McMahon resigned from TKO Group Holdings in January 2024 amid a federal investigation and a lawsuit alleging sexual assault and trafficking, which he has denied.
If you use any portion of the quotes from this article please credit Identity Crisis with a h/t to WrestlingNews.co for the transcription. You can listen to the full episode on podcast platforms.
