We all know that Monday Night Raw after WrestleMania is known for big surprises and returns, and this year’s surprise was the return of the Bulgarian Brute, Rusev.
The Bulgarian Brute made his anticipated return to the WWE after five years hiatus from the company.
His surprise appearance came during a segment on Monday Night Raw with The New Day and Alpha Academy.
Ruseve made a big impact by attacking Akira Tozawa and Otis, and locking Otis in the Accolade – his signature submission move.
Rusev, who had been working with AEW since leaving WWE in 2020, finally secured his release from Tony Khan’s promotion in February this year.
According to Deadline, he has now signed a new two-year deal with WWE. His wife, CJ Perry – known to fans as Lana – also signed a Legends contract with WWE earlier this month, though she did not appear during Rusev’s return.
In the Deadline report, Lana shared her excitement, saying, “Rusev is back to crush the WWE and become World Champion… We have been cooking this up from our Bulgarian kitchen since the day we left.”
She thanked their talent agency, Paradigm, for helping to make their return happen.
Rusev and Lana were a popular pair on WWE television after his main roster debut in 2015.
At first, Rusev was presented as a powerful athlete from Russia, with Lana as his manager. Over time, Lana changed her look and role, eventually becoming a wrestler herself.
While Rusev left WWE in 2020, Lana stayed for one more year before the couple reunited in AEW in 2023.
Now back in WWE, fans are eager to see what’s next for Rusev. With big plans ahead, Rusev has made it clear: he’s ready to dominate once again.
