In a recent interview with Denise Salcedo, Rusev spoke highly of the current WWE environment, calling the locker room the best he has experienced during his time in either WWE or AEW.
“I see a lot of young talent, hungry talent. I feel like this is the best locker room I’ve been in since I’ve been in WWE or AEW,” Rusev said. “I love this locker room.”
Rusev also commented on WWE’s business growth since his last run, pointing to the consistently sold-out arenas. He is set to perform in front of one such crowd tonight at Clash in Paris, where he will face Sheamus in a Good Ol’ Donnybrook match. He also noted the company’s upcoming partnership with Netflix, adding that his parents will now be able to watch him without having to pirate the shows.
When asked about his time in AEW, Rusev answered in character, stating that he used his time there to “beat up quite a few people” and regain his confidence. He explained that after proving he was “the best one there,” he decided it was time to return to WWE to achieve his ultimate goal of becoming a world champion.
Rusev’s confident persona in the interview mirrors his approach to his ongoing rivalry with Sheamus. Tonight’s Good Ol’ Donnybrook match was sanctioned by Raw General Manager Adam Pearce after their singles match on the August 4 episode of Raw ended in a double countout.
In a separate interview conducted yesterday, Rusev promised the match would be brutal and aimed insults at his opponent, saying Sheamus is “an even bigger dumb ass than before.” He also dismissed the local crowd, calling the “French WWE Universe” cowards and making it clear he is focused only on his own victory tonight.