Rusev believes he received ‘mixed messages’ from Vince McMahon and shared what he learned during his time in WWE.
Speaking on the debut episode of his wife CJ Perry’s Identity Crisis podcast, former three-time WWE United States Champion Rusev addressed Perry’s question about whether Vince McMahon believed he worked better as a monster heel.
Rusev revealed that he received mixed messages from the former WWE Chairman. He stated that McMahon asked him to be a babyface, only to tell him to go heel once again.
“He called me in the office before the Goldberg things, ‘Hey, hey, you know, do this favor for me, I’m going to owe you one,’ and then he said, ‘What do you think about turning babyface?’ I’m like, ‘Vince, if you’re behind it, I’m behind it,’ because I know it’s going to work.
“So he’s asked me to be a babyface before,” Rusev continued, “but then he asked me to be a heel again after. And that’s what I’m saying, it’s all these mixed messages with nothing in between.”
Rusev Says Working With WWE Taught Him To Be A Hard Worker
When asked how being a heel and working with WWE defined his identity, Rusev stated that it taught him to be a hard worker and to appreciate the highs and lows of the journey.
“Well, you learn a lot, of course you learn,” Rusev said. “You learn so much being in WWE. Like, there’s no other job like being in WWE. Especially back in, I could say back in the day, because when we first started, compared to now, it’s completely different.
“We used to be on the road five days a week, and these tours, like two-week and three-week-long tours and all that. Now, we don’t have that anymore. But it teaches you to be a hard worker first and foremost, to always say yes to everything. It teaches you to, whether you’re throwing up, whether you’re sick, whether you’re dying, whether you have a leg or not, you go out there and you perform to the best of your abilities.
“Yeah, and you learn how to public speak, of course, that’s really important as well. You learn to appreciate the highs and the lows, because there’s not a professional wrestler in this world, or maybe in Hollywood as well, that you’re here (up) but then you’re also here (down). You can’t be always high or low. So you got to appreciate all these moments and ride the wave, and that’s what I learned, ride the wave.”
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If you use the quotes from this article, please credit the Identity Crisis podcast and give an H/T to WrestleZone for the transcription.
