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Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2014 12:49:35 GMT -5
From his debut at the Rumble to where we are now, how do you grade Rusev's run in 2014?
He had the debut at the Rumble, then getting Lana, then turning to the Russia connection, using the Malaysian Airlines as heat, dropping the "Alexender" in his name, to winning the US title, were some of his moments this year. Promos with The Rock, matches with Big E, Swagger, Sheamus and so on.
How do you look at his 2014 run and where do you see him in 2015?
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Post by Mid-Carder on Dec 26, 2014 12:54:32 GMT -5
A. I've loved him and Lana this year. Sadly, he's certain to lose momentum when his winning streak finally ends, no matter how much they try to protect him.
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Post by karl100589 on Dec 26, 2014 12:55:01 GMT -5
He'll lose to Cena at Wrestlemania, lose his momentum, ditch Lana and become a comedy jobber ala Kozlov
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Post by Saul Goodman on Dec 26, 2014 13:09:40 GMT -5
He'll lose to Cena at Wrestlemania, lose his momentum, ditch Lana and become a comedy jobber ala Kozlov This is also my predication. He is the flavor of the year 2014 but will not be in 2015. By this time next year he will be a face jobbing to mostly everyone. Lana will be on Total Divas and a single heel wrestler, maybe the divas champion.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2014 13:16:20 GMT -5
A D for doing the exact same thing all year.
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Post by Magic knows Black Lives Matter on Dec 26, 2014 13:18:54 GMT -5
B+, maybe even A-
They've done a great job with Rusev. He's been spinning his wheels lately but for the most part, he's been one of the best booked guys in the company.
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The Legend of Groose
Bill S. Preston, Esq.
Voted for Mason Ryan
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Post by The Legend of Groose on Dec 26, 2014 15:33:14 GMT -5
A solid B+. This is how they should have build Ryback. I worry because I can't help but feel they are going to mess this up somehow. Having his first lost be on like RAW or something dumb like that, or having him lose in the most lame way possible.
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Post by Some Guy on Dec 26, 2014 15:35:11 GMT -5
Probably a B. His wrestling has been damn good when he gets time, he's one of the best sellers on the roster and his schtick is generally well done. The problem is that he's been doing redundant feuds instead of expanding upon things, and feuding with Swagger AGAIN was beyond pointless.
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wakko
Samurai Cop
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Post by wakko on Dec 26, 2014 18:03:03 GMT -5
C-
He can wrestle, but the character is outdated and I am sick of this anti-country gimmick. The gimmick needs to die. Give him a brawler/MMA badass type gimmick if Brock leaves. He can somewhat fill that spot.
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Post by CATCH_US IS the Conversation on Dec 26, 2014 18:04:38 GMT -5
He'll lose to Cena at Wrestlemania, lose his momentum, ditch Lana and become a comedy jobber ala Kozlov This is also my predication. He is the flavor of the year 2014 but will not be in 2015. By this time next year he will be a face jobbing to mostly everyone. Lana will be on Total Divas and a single heel wrestler, maybe the divas champion. Sad part is that Rusev will probably get CRUSHED by the next heel monster pet project.
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Sephiroth
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Post by Sephiroth on Dec 26, 2014 18:10:27 GMT -5
I'm stuck between B+ and A-. He's had about the perfect run as a monster heel, but it took him a little bit to find his stride and he's found himself having to repeat previous feuds now.
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FAR5222
El Dandy
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Post by FAR5222 on Dec 26, 2014 18:17:09 GMT -5
Those saying he's turning comedy jobber said this in April, that "6 months from now he will be a comedy jobber." He didn't become one so it looks like he won't be one.
I give him an A. The dude has entertaied me from his great hard hitting matches, his selling, him wearing slippers during a backstage segment with Team Authority. Guy is awesome and hope he stays this way for years. Just drop the Russian anti-foreign shitck and somehow pull off what they did to Kofi Kingston where everything is retconed even Lana's accent.
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Post by TheMediocreWarrior on Dec 26, 2014 18:32:26 GMT -5
A. Rusev and Lana are in my top 5 for reasons why I still bother to watch WWE.
They don't have to turn Rusev into a comedy jobber. Once again, they can look to Rocky IV for a way to turn face. Something happens that makes him turn his back on Russia and he'll rant about how he fights for himself now.
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Post by Hit Girl on Dec 26, 2014 18:35:22 GMT -5
Rusev and Lana get an A from me.
She can draw heat like no one else on the roster. Bright future for her.
Rusev has been fine for what he's expected to do. If anything, he's too likeable to be a heel. He may lose momentum though when the inevitable occurs and he loses to Cena, but it'll be a high profile feud and he'll probably make a mint from it.
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kerda
Trap-Jaw
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Post by kerda on Dec 26, 2014 18:51:43 GMT -5
A
Guy's a beast, he looks legit dangerous, his offense looks brutal, but he can sell like a maniac when necessary. He's the best big man/monster performer since Umaga.
Not sure where he goes in 2015, though. The logical step is for him to be headed into a main event feud for the title post-Mania, but I feel like he has to win the belt when he finally challenges for it, and I'm not sure the company is willing to put a big, thick Bulgarian dude as their top star. My fear/expectation is that Roman Reigns beats Lesnar for the title at WM, heads into a feud with Rusev for the April PPV and handily breaks the undefeated streak with a Superman Punch and spear. At that point, I have a feeling the company might lose interest and leave him in midcard purgatory forever feuding with Big E and Swagger.
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Post by Deleted on Dec 26, 2014 18:51:56 GMT -5
B+.
Rusev's booking has been pretty great thus far for his character. He and Lana have great heat given his "super now Russian wrestler" thing and the "anti-America" addition which comes with it. You have that combined with the fact the wwe shows Putin, has fake US soldier, has him beating all of these flag waving wrestlers I mean you can't book anything better than that given his level. He's midcard but Rusev is being booked better than those who are higher than him on the card. He's great in the ring, he's great selling and the guy just gets what he's about so right now I've gotta give him a B+. I'm not giving him an A because he hasn't had one angle besides the one with Swagger that really made think "Damn I hope this dude beats Rusev" and I really thought Swagger would do it, it works. Everyone else, you know they'd be knocked off. Rusev has also been defeated in other areas either by DQ or some other crap. Even if they say he hasn't been pinned or submitted it's the same thing. The fact he was with the Authority is also stupid to me. I would have kept Rusev away from that angle at all costs. I can't see him siding with them I just can't given his position, he should have stayed in the middle. Rusev being counted out of that match was weird to me. I would have had Rusev leave on his own terms and stay a heel. Since the Authority will be gone anyway, he'd get no backlash.
All of these things are why I'm giving him a B+.
Swagger said it's his goal to get the title off of Rusev well we'll see. Rusev is losing that belt next year to someone and he's facing Cena next year at Wrestlemania. Rusev is not beating Cena.
I don't care who you are but if Bray "Vince said I'm one of the Elite Four" Wyatt lost to Cena you damn sure know Rusev is losing.
From that it just depends what he'll do next. Sure, he can flounder for a bit before they eventually gives him a WHC run but mind you that'll be after the Shield and Bray get at it, maybe Rusev can have the belt early 2016 and someone can beat him for the title at WM, I don't know, that's if he lasts that long. After the Cena loss he's going to have a rough rest of the year if they don't book the guy well and given what happened to Bray and how some of these other dudes are being booked, I wouldn't put it pass them. Rusev was one of the people buried by Vince. I just don't see how he's going to recover if they don't book him well and we all know what happens after a Cena loss.
Good luck to him. He's going to have to do the most here.
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Post by g1megatronfan on Dec 26, 2014 18:56:05 GMT -5
F.
Too bad I can't give him lower. Very shitty gimmick, pointless manager and YAWN inducing matches. It was a load of shit when they gave him the title and the fact that this boring asshat gets this push is a prime example of why WWE sucks right now.
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Jeff Mangum PI
Hank Scorpio
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Post by Jeff Mangum PI on Dec 26, 2014 19:18:12 GMT -5
A- He pretty much did the same thing throughout 2014, but he put on some good matches and improved a lot in the ring compared to his run in NXT.
2015: loses the belt, jobs to Cena, but gets built back up as a top heel. Less "Russia Russia Yah Yah" and more of an MMA powerhouse like Lesnar.
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Post by Stu on Dec 26, 2014 19:41:30 GMT -5
He's performed well, but I agree that his angles were redundant, although that's not his fault. I was happy to see him on the Survivor Series team. It allowed him to interact with others in a different storyline. Basically, his involvement added another layer to his character.
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