WWE: Will WrestleMania 34 Be Remembered As Rusev Mania?

Rusev has been a member of the WWE Universe for a few years now. He’s had his ups and downs but is entering the prime of his career as WrestleMania 34 approaches.

Happiest and most glorious of Rusev Days to you faithful wrestling fan! We’re on the Road to WrestleMania, and everyone’s favorite Bulgarian is in need of an opponent. Taking a look at the SmackDown Live roster, I honestly wasn’t sure what the plan would be. At first, I thought a feud with Bobby Roode was on the table but Randy Orton snaked his way into the picture. So with the roster at hand, who is booking a date for Rusev Day?

One man seemed to stick out as I scrolled up and down the roster, Big E. Now, The New Day tend to stick as a group but had shown recently that they can still be united but following separate paths. It wouldn’t take much to get a feud started as both often get TV time and are popular with fans.

There were run-ins during the US Title Tournament as Xavier, Rusev and Aiden English were all involved. It would be a simple progression to rotate from Xavier to Big E as a target for The Bulgarian Brute. If creative doesn’t go down this route, Rusev could always target the man that pushed him from the US Title scene.

Credit: WWE Universe on Twitter

The Brute and The Viper

Randy Orton is without a doubt one of the best to ever lace up a pair of boots. The only negative I’ve ever heard about Orton is that when unmotivated, he can be a challenge. But, Orton has taken the staple of the elder statesman and has begun to put younger talent over recently. And a match with one of the hottest acts in the company on the biggest stage could be exactly what Orton need to light the fire.

If the two were given the time, Orton and Rusev could tell a fantastic story backed with awesome action in the ring. This would not only allow them to tell a story based off of Orton stealing Rusev’s spot but could double as beefing up the hunt for the US Title. It would be a program that would use Orton’s star power to not only elevate Rusev but the mid-card title picture.

On Rusev Day, WrestleMania is GLORIOUS

The final SmackDown Live talent that I’d like to see Rusev have a WrestleMania dance with is Bobby Roode. As it stands now it doesn’t seem like Rusev will be in the US Title picture, but there is a ton of time before WrestleMania. The Roode/Jinder/Orton US Championship squabble could be sorted out at FastLane, leaving enough time for Rusev to get his title shot back. There is something poetic about to foreign wrestlers fighting over the US Championship that feels very “American Dream.” Both men fighting for the championship that will allow them to further their standing in the company and better their lives.

Photo Source: WWE.com

This pairing would allow the WWE to correct the booking of both Rusev and Roode. Rusev has gotten himself so over with the crowd between his Rusev Day antics and appearances on Total Divas. If you have followed Bobby Roode’s career at all, you know he excels when he gets to be a heel. He proved that not only during his TNA tenure but also in NXT. This would be the easiest double switch in wrestling history as we’re nearly there already.

Next: The Pros and Cons of the New PPV Format

So with WrestleMania coming, it seems the WWE is leaving a lot of the booking to chance. With just two months until the biggest show of the year, there is a lot still unknown for the show. Rusev has earned his spot on the WrestleMania card and backs it up weekly. If the creative team and Rusev continue on the path that they’re on this could be Rusev’s year. On April 8, 2018, WrestleMania will be rebranded as ….RUSEV-MANIA!