Rusev Reflects on “Dead Time” in AEW, Says Frustration Fuels His WWE Comeback – Rusev has opened up about his recent WWE resurgence, describing how frustration from the last five years — a stretch he calls “the dead time” — has reignited his passion for wrestling.
In an interview with Shak, Rusev discussed his struggles during his time away from full-time competition. “The dead time,” Rusev said when asked what stood out most about the past five years. “You know, in the past five years I had what, 20 matches or 30 matches, whatever that is. Before, I had 30 matches in 30 days… It’s the dead time is what sticks out the most.”
He emphasized that inactivity during those years was especially difficult given the physical and time-sensitive nature of wrestling. “We only have this body, only have this age… You can’t do this business, you can’t do this job forever, right? So you have to take advantage of while you’re young,” Rusev said. “And that’s why sitting on the sides for so long… it’s what stuck out the most.”
Rusev also revealed that his recent intensity in the ring is a direct result of that experience. He recounted a conversation with Jey Uso during a match in Japan. “I had to tell him, ‘Hey, I’m going so hard because I’ve had a period of time when you have one match and you don’t know when the next match is coming.’ And that’s a very scary situation.”
Despite the frustration, Rusev acknowledged that the time off gave him valuable personal moments. “I’m always taking care of my family, built a house in Bulgaria, my dream home in Bulgaria,” he said. “I was able to rest my body, spend a lot of time at home with my wife… I saw my parents… I moved away when I was 20 years old, I’ve barely seen my parents. So being able to spend time with them… You can take it both ways, but overall I would like to remember the good parts.”
Rusev’s return to WWE has been marked by a renewed focus and energy, and it’s clear his time away — while difficult — has fueled his current drive to make every moment count.
Rusev Reflects on “Dead Time” in AEW, Says Frustration Fuels His WWE Comeback
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