The “Vince lusts for Lana” theory

[Sephiroth]

I feel weird being in the position of defending Vince McMahon, of all people, but I really think this prevailing theory that Rusev has been repeatedly buried because Vince resents him for marrying Lana is rubbish. Now, make no mistake, I can easily imagine that a guy as obsessed with being an alpha male as Vince obviously is probably looks at the two of them and thinks “What does she see in him?” But no, Rusev Day is not being ignored and deleted because of that. I think Rusev has just found himself in WWE doldrums due to a series of events that did not work in his favor.

First and foremost, the thing Vince did resent and that resulted in the initial burial was when Rusev and Lana upended the love triangle story with Ziggler. Vince os obviously a control freak who doesn’t like when things don’t go as planned, and that totally disrupted the plan. So Rusev was buried as a punishment. Further, Rusev Day, as over as it is, is also not part of the plan. Much like with Zack Ryder, its not exactly about punishing th guy for getting over on his own effort-its about him being over being a distraction from what Vince WANTS to see happen, and we simply can’t have that. So Rusev Day has to be pushed out of the audience’s eye somehow so they can focus on what they are supposed to be focused on, dammit!

And plus I think Vince no longer seems Rusev as cool. Let us not forget the monster push he got out the gate-because he looked and acted the part of an unstoppable badass who could yank your arm off. Vince’s kind of guy! The problem is that during that Ziggler program, on top of overturning it, even if unintentionally, Rusev also dared to be *gasp* funny! He dared to show his light hearted, goofball side. “You’re supposed to be a badass dammit, badasses don’t throw fish!” As a result Vince’s perception of him changed and has never been the same. And finally, I think Rusev is also falling victims to the CM Punk/Daniel Bryan effect where because he is that incredibly good as a performer, Vine thinks he can rebuild him at any time he want and therefore feels no need to give him a sustained push until such as time as it is needed-and that will be when he needs a credible threat for a preferred star to squash.

All that said. Yes Lana is hot and Vince probably does have one on for her-who the heck doesn’t?

[abjordans]

Vince McMahon once swam in the middle of the ring during a beer bath and had his head shoved up Big Show’s ass. He doesn’t hate Rusev for being funny. In fact, I don’t think he hates Rusev at all. He pays he and his wife a nice 6 figure income and features them on tv every week for the last several years. I think the whole Rusev being buried stuff is largely built up by the internet fans, which is why Rusev plays it up so much.

[Deleted]

There’s lust in his eyes....and his black heart for Elizabeth.....err I mean Lana

[nickcave]

Didn't he add Rusev to the U.S. title match at Mania specifically because of how over he's been getting and his merchandise sales? I don't think Vince hates Rusev at all...

[spagett]

Apr 14, 2018 9:22:33 GMT -5 nickcave said:

Didn't he add Rusev to the U.S. title match at Mania specifically because of how over he's been getting and his merchandise sales? I don't think Vince hates Rusev at all...

He did job him out to the least over person on the roster though.

[Sparkybob]

Vince hates everybody but Baron Corbin tbh

[nickcave]

Apr 14, 2018 9:24:41 GMT -5 Sparkybob said:

Vince hates everybody but Baron Corbin tbh

Also, I know the rumors are now that Vince wants to push Baron but if anything Baron has been treated much worse than Rusev. He was made to look like a complete joke during and after his feud with Cena with Cena essentially burying him much harder than he has anyone in quite in awhile. He wasn't even booked on the main card of WM while Rusev was despite the questionable finish of the match. Being booked at WM is still considered a big deal.

[lildude8218]

There is also the fact that during that one conference call a reporter asked Vince to comment on the Q4 earnings and Vince's response was "I want to f*** Lana"

[Alice Syndrome]

Apr 14, 2018 9:22:33 GMT -5 nickcave said:

Didn't he add Rusev to the U.S. title match at Mania specifically because of how over he's been getting and his merchandise sales? I don't think Vince hates Rusev at all...

Did you forget the part where he jobbed him out to Steroid Eva Marie?

[The Kevstaaa]

Rusev wasn't buried. Should he have been the guy who won the WWE Title last year instead of Jinder?

Absolutely. But he wasn't buried.

[Sephiroth]

Apr 14, 2018 9:39:43 GMT -5 The Kevstaaa said:

Rusev wasn't buried. Should he have been the guy who won the WWE Title last year instead of Jinder?

Absolutely. But he wasn't buried.

IMO he should have at least been a contender for it three years ago. IF they were so determined to put the belt on Roman, then do it-have Rusev be the first challenger and after a grueling title match THEN Rollins could cash in to win the belt in heeling fashion.

[Big Chungus]

Apr 14, 2018 9:38:25 GMT -5 lildude8218 said:

There is also the fact that during that one conference call a reporter asked Vince to comment on the Q4 earnings and Vince's response was "I want to f*** Lana"

Wut?

[Kevin Hamilton]

Who doesn't?

[Prince Petty]

I think the only real answer here is, 'no one knows'. No one knows how well Rusev and Vince get on, or what Vince thinks of his marriage to Lana. I've seen Rusev take jabs at Vince on twitter, which would suggest a level of comfort, but perhaps they were actual jabs. He's seemed frustrated at the way he's treated, but again it could all be tongue in cheek.

This whole 'is he being buried/released' thing seems to be a work, but whether it's to any particular end... again, no one knows.

[Deleted]

Apr 14, 2018 9:38:25 GMT -5 lildude8218 said:

There is also the fact that during that one conference call a reporter asked Vince to comment on the Q4 earnings and Vince's response was "I want to f*** Lana"

Oh come on, that's a stretch don't you think? That could mean anything.

[carp (SPC, Itoh Respect Army)]

The problem with Rusev is that he has an accent, which means the only character they can imagine for him is scary foreign guy, but his personality is that he's a hipster goofball.

[The Unconquered Sun]

I'll second the CM Punk/Daniel Bryan effect. Vince is Vince, he would rather make one dollar off of a shove down our throat Roman than ten dollars off an over Rusev.

[Bungle]

Apr 14, 2018 13:01:48 GMT -5 The Unconquered Sun said:

I'll second the CM Punk/Daniel Bryan effect. Vince is Vince, he would rather make one dollar off of a shove down our throat Roman than ten dollars off an over Rusev.

Except WWE pushed both to the top places.Bryan was pushed since NXT and Punk was given titles and a lot of liberty to do whatever he wanted.

And Rusev was rewarded with a nice WM match and pay (being pined means literally nothing) for his current work.

[Nosnorb]

Apr 14, 2018 13:40:36 GMT -5 Bungle said:

Apr 14, 2018 13:01:48 GMT -5 The Unconquered Sun said:

I'll second the CM Punk/Daniel Bryan effect. Vince is Vince, he would rather make one dollar off of a shove down our throat Roman than ten dollars off an over Rusev.

Except WWE pushed both to the top places.Bryan was pushed since NXT and Punk was given titles and a lot of liberty to do whatever he wanted.

And Rusev was rewarded with a nice WM match and pay (being pined means literally nothing) for his current work.

It took the fans hijacking Raw to get WWE to push Daniel Bryan as a main event star. His feud with Orton in 2013 was meant as filler until John Cena came back and they could do Orton-Cena part 454546323534523452346546545, and after that, Bryan was feuding and joining The Wyatt Family. And in 2011, there was talk of him failing his MitB cash in. His first WM match lasted 18 seconds, and he lost 3 title matches in a row to CM Punk. Bryan wasn't pushed since NXT.

Punk could have been a legit superstar, instead at his hottest and when he was pulling big numbers, Vince fed him to Trips. Vince could, and should have made so much more off those two guys.

Rusev did have a WM match, but if he had won it and turned face? Then that means more merch sold (faces sell more merch than heels), more money for Vince, and the chance to build up a heel or two alongside Rusev.

Instead, it looks like RuRu will still be in the Smackdown midcard and his heat will die off as it becomes clear that WWE won't pull the trigger.

[Perd]

Trying to discern why Vince does what he does, is a path to true madness.