Rusev Reveals Injury Setback & 80s inspiration Behind “The Bulgarian Brute” Persona
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A challenging early injury and a deep dive into 1980s action cinema helped shape Rusev into one of WWE’s most compelling characters, the wrestler recently revealed. During a conversation on the “Identity Crisis” podcast with his wife, CJ Perry, the former WWE star detailed the obstacles he faced early in his career and the unconventional methods he used to develop his on-screen persona.
Before becoming a prominent “heel” – a wrestling villain – in the mid-2010s, Rusev’s journey to the main WWE roster experienced a meaningful pause. He recounted how a tryout secured through Rikishi at the 2010 SummerSlam event in Los Angeles led to a contract, but was quickly followed by a debilitating injury.
“Rikishi got me a tryout at 2010 SummerSlam in Los Angeles and they liked me, they signed me, they gave me a contract,” he explained.”All of a sudden,I find myself in developmental WWE,green as grass. I had no idea. And then started I broke my knee, broke my neck. That set me back a little bit. But then in developmental I spent like a year and a half probably at most and then made it to the to the main roster. So my career really fast kind of like took off.”
Finding “The Bulgarian Brute”
Developing a captivating character proved to be a separate hurdle. Rusev described the difficulty of defining his identity within the world of professional wrestling.He initially struggled to articulate who he was beyond his background as Miro from Bulgaria.
“it’s so hard to find the identity as that’s also another challenge is, when you go to developmental, it’s like, hey who you are? And you’re like, I’m Miro from Bulgaria. I came to be a professional wrestler. But that doesn’t work out for anybody, brother. You need to find somthing more entertaining right? You need to find that character that’s going to draw these people, the eyes, the money … that took me a while,” he said.
To overcome this creative block, Rusev turned to his favorite films from the 1980s, specifically action movies featuring iconic villains. He drew inspiration from characters in films like Kickboxer and Blood Sport.
“I started going watching all my favorite bad guys from like Kickboxer, blood Sport from the 80s and all these.That’s how I started drawing inspiration for my character,” he shared.This research ultimately informed the creation of “The Bulgarian Brute,” a persona that resonated with audiences.
Authenticity as a key to Character Development
Reflecting on his experiences, the 39-year-old offered advice to aspiring professional wrestlers. He emphasized the importance of embracing and amplifying one’s true personality, rather than attempting to fabricate a character.Rusev believes that authenticity is the key to connecting with fans.
He also revealed a willingness to tap into his own darker emotions, admitting he could be “legitimately mean and nasty” if he chose to be.He found success by incorporating these genuine feelings into his on-screen persona, rather than pretending to be someone he wasn’t.
Ultimately, Rusev’s story highlights the complex process of character development in professional wrestling, demonstrating how overcoming adversity and embracing one’s true self can lead to a successful and memorable career.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit “CJ Perry” with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
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