There has been much written about the rise and fall of RYBACK, and how a lack of patients by the WWE writers, injuries to other WWE main event superstars, bad luck and timing and RYBACK’s un-polishness in the ring. A great opportunity was lost in the making of a dominate wrestler, and only time will tell if RYBACK’s WWE career can recover, although a promising return on RAW has him for now heading back in the right direction. Damien Sandow, Wade Barrett, Bray Wyatt and Dolph Ziggler also have fallen fowl of some poor WWE creative decisions which severely affected their push to main event level.
We move forward and look at the slow, gradual, dominating and perfect rise of RUSUV, and must congratulate the WWE on his progression since debuting at the Royal Rumble in 2014. The WWE has taken an ‘old school’ approach with RUSUV, by having him climb up the WWE roster, by feuding and then defeating stronger and stronger opponents. His progression, and hiding his lack of mic work behind his valet LANA, has shown that wrestling creative shouldn’t try and change a traditional wrestling working formula to much. All the need to do with RUSUV, is keep him away from John Cena!
After a impressive performance in the Rumble, RUSUV destroyed proverbial jobber Zac Ryder, before starting his first feud against fellow jobbers Xavier Woods and R-Truth. RUSUV would beat each wrestler individually and then in a handicap match setting the tone as monster in the ring.
To help generate more heat, RUSUV moved from Bulgaria to Russia, and with the help of his valet LANA, began to put down America, and praise Russian leader Vladimir Putin. He would then be tested for the first time physically as he took on former Intercontinental Champion Big E. For the first time RUSUV was matched in power, but managed to overcome his first real test in the ring by defeating Big E in back-to Back pay-per-views (Payback & MITB). By defeating Big E, fans started to take more notice of both LANA, and RUSUV, and their continuing belittling of America brought out their next big challenge in former World Heavy Weight Champion and American patriot Jack Swagger.
The Jack Swagger feud did highlight RUSUV’s the lack of charisma and limited ability on the microphone, as more interest initially was in the exchanges between LANA and Zeb Colter. However in the ring he did suffer his first loss (via disqualification) before defeating Jack Swagger at Battleground and in a flag match at Summer Slam. This victory started the displaying the large Russian flag after a RUSUV Victory.
Another former World Champion, and world strongest man Mark Henry was the next to ‘test’ RUSUV, but he to fell short, in defeating RUSUV, as did the ‘Worlds largest athlete’ The Big Show. Each of these feuds and matches RUSUV was tested physically, but managed to come out on top on each occasion, doing so with his strength, speed, skill and sometimes a little luck, but not resorting to underhand tactics to gain the victory. It is the way RUSUV has obtained his victories that puts him in the light of a dominate monster, rather than a sly, cheating, coward heel that the WWE seem to like to always go with.
This week on the aftershow of RAW, after challenging Sheamus for his US title, RUSUV, again was challenged by the US Champion, before overcoming his Irish opponent, forcing Sheamus to pass out of the accolade, and become the new US Champion. He has risen through from NXT, risen from defeating low card jobbers, to now be a very strong mid-card champion via delivering strong, tough and impressive performances against past world Champions, and has defeated them not by controversial tactics, but through his skill, speed and strength. He has rarely looked intermediated by his opponents, and the fact he sort out Sheamus makes him look and feel even more like a dominate US champion.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b9xgKgffQlc#t=20[/youtube]
The next 2 couple of months are just as crucial in RUSUV’s continue rise. Another couple victories over the former champion Sheamus is essential, as is his next opponent/feud. As he is currently rising up the ranks, then his next opponent needs to be in the calibre of Dolph Ziggler, &/or Ryback, leading to potential Wrestlemania pay off match against The Rock or John Cena.
I do not think his current persona will see him reach the WWE World Heavyweight Champion, but having another impressive, main event heel can only lead to a better WWE. Now let us hope future NXT superstars are given the RUSUV treatment, and not the RYBACK treatment. RUSUV rise has reminded me of the way UMAGA, rose through the WWE in the mid 2000’s…..all the WWE creative need to do is keep RUSUV away from John Cena!!!
Hooroo and see you next time
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