Rusev IMAGO / ZUMA Press Wire

Rusev Reveals Why He Wanted To Leave AEW & Return To WWE

Originally posted on Wrestling on SI | By Rick Ucchino | Last updated Aug 30, 2025 11:01 PM ET

Rusev returned to WWE this past April after five years away from the company, and he came back for a very specific reason. He wants to get his hands on the World Heavyweight Championship.

The Bulgarian Brute has been a one man wrecking ball on Monday Night Raw over the past few months and has showcased a level of confidence not seen by WWE fans before.

In a new interview with Denise Salcedo of Instinct Culture, the former WWE United States Champion said that trust in his abilities was forged during his time in All Elite Wrestling.

“I learned that I’m the best in the world... I beat up quite a few people and I gained my confidence way more than I had before in WWE," Rusev said. "What I’ve been taught by John Cena, by the Big Show, by all these great, amazing superstars that I fought in WWE, I had to put to the test when I was in AEW. I had to use everything I’ve learned. After I did that, after I experimented, after I saw that I’m the best one there, I thought it was time to come back, no doubt, because I still have the goal to be a World Heavyweight Champion here in WWE.”

Rusev admitted to Salcedo that he had some ring rust he needed to knock off upon his return to WWE, but he found the perfect partner to help him accomplish just that in his old buddy Sheamus.

Rusev will face Sheamus at Clash in Paris

WWE.com

Rusev's world title aspirations could get a massive push toward reality Sunday afternoon if he defeats former The Celtic Warrior at Clash in Paris.

These former League of Nations allies have been at each other's throats for weeks on Monday Night Raw and they will finally look to settle things in a Good Ol' Fashioned Donnybrook Match.

"I think it’s the biggest match I have had in a while, and it’s also going to be the most brutal match I’ve ever had, right? So I expect nothing less but pain. I expect nothing less but a very hard, physical match," Rusev told Salcedo. "We all know Sheamus. He’s stubborn, he’s got a big heart, and he can hit hard, but he can also get hit hard. So it’s not going to be an easy match. We’ve already reserved a couple of beds in the nearby hospital just in case." h/t Fightful

If you are unfamiliar with the concept of this particular match, imagine the chaos and carnage of an Irish pub fight and place it inside of a wrestling ring.

The first ever Donnybrook Match was held back on the the July 29, 2022 edition of SmackDown, where Drew McIntyre successfully defended his WWE Universal Championship against Sheamus. There have been at least two more since then, with the Brawling Brutes defeating Imperium at Extreme Rules 2022 and The Celtic Warrior knocking off Pete Dunne in the fall of last year.

This article first appeared on Wrestling on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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