In a interview with Emily Mae of Wrestling News on Saturday, Rusev made his feelings clear about the host city for his upcoming match, declaring the French WWE Universe is “full of cowards” and stating he has no regard for them. His comments came just one day before he is scheduled to face his rival Sheamus at Clash in Paris.
“Tomorrow they’re not going to be any of the WWE Universe out there is going to be just French WWE Universe, and they’re full of cowards,” Rusev said. “And I don’t like cowards, so I didn’t care. I don’t care about them. I care about myself and my victory.”
Rusev’s disdain wasn’t reserved for the fans. When asked about his long history with Sheamus, he asserted that his opponent has changed for the worse. “I agree he has changed. He’s an even bigger dumb ass than before,” Rusev stated flatly. The two are set to collide this Sunday, August 31, in a “Good Ol’ Fashioned Donnybrook Match,” a stipulation designed to finally settle their intense rivalry.
The match, essentially a no-disqualification, no-count-out brawl, was sanctioned by Raw General Manager Adam Pearce after weeks of escalating hostilities. The feud reached a boiling point when their televised singles match on the August 4 episode of Raw ended in a double countout, failing to produce a winner. Rusev promised the Paris encounter would be different, dismissing any lightheartedness about the brutal affair.
“It’s going to be a very painful match. None of these other matches on this entire card will be as painful as our match,” he warned. “It’s going to be bruises, it’s going to be cuts, it’s going to be hard punches, there’s going to be chair shots… It’s going to be a very brutal match that I’m going to win at the end of the day.”
When asked if Parisian culture had offered any inspiration, Rusev’s response was sharp and dismissive. “The only thing that French people can inspire me is to surrender, but I’m not a coward, so I’m not going to do that,” he remarked. “Maybe that’s Sheamus type of people, but not me.”
With the stage set at the Paris La Défense Arena, Rusev concluded the interview with a definitive prediction for the outcome of the weapon-filled contest.
“I am going to win tomorrow. I am going to beat Sheamus. I’m going to make them pass out, tap out, submit and lose at the same time.”