Rusev has firmly rejected the “Rusev Day” chants that echoed through the Paris La Défense Arena during his match at Clash in Paris. Speaking on a recap podcast for the event, Rusev told fans still chanting for his old gimmick to “wake up,” making it clear that his current persona is far different from his popular 2018 run.
“These people, clearly, in France, they are still thinking it’s 2018 because they were chanting, ‘Rusev Day,’ bro, wake up. It’s 2025,” Rusev stated. “I am Rusev. I’m here to dominate. There’s no such thing as Rusev Day. I’m a killer machine. I’m the brute. The brute is back.”
He explained that while there will be a time for celebration, it will be on his terms. “When I say it’s okay for you to celebrate my day, I’m going to give you the cue. But until then, just know your place.”
The comments came after his hard-fought victory over Sheamus in a Good Ol’ Fashioned Donnybrook Match. The physical, no-rules bout saw both men use an array of weapons before Rusev forced Sheamus to submit to the Accolade, using a piece of a broken shillelagh for extra leverage. The submission was a significant moment, as it was only the second time in Sheamus’s 16-year WWE career that he had lost a televised match by tapping out.
The victory is a major step for Rusev, who returned to WWE in April with the stated goal of winning the World Heavyweight Championship. His wife, CJ Perry, was also in attendance, seen supporting him from the crowd. The match was the culmination of a rivalry that intensified after a double count-out finish on the August 4 episode of Raw. Even Sheamus acknowledged the shift in Rusev’s character, posting on social media after the match, “The old Rusev is back.”