Since returning to WWE in April, Rusev’s in-ring appearances have drastically revved up, with the Bulgarian recently hitting 25 matches on the year. In a stark contrast, Rusev wrestled a mere seven times while working under the AEW banner in 2023. While speaking with CBS Sports, Rusev reflected on the absence that later came between his AEW final match in December 2023 and his return to WWE in 2025.

“In the past five years, I have had 20 or 30 matches. Back in the day, I had 30 matches in 30 days,” he said. “The dead time sticks out the most. We only have this body and age for so long. We can’t do this job forever, so we must take advantage of it while we’re young. I sat on the sidelines for so long, unable to do what I love, which is performing for people in professional wrestling.”

During his time away from the squared circle, Rusev built a house in his home country of Bulgaria, renewed his wedding vows with CJ Perry, and spent time with his parents. In February 2025, he and AEW reached a mutual agreement to part ways, paving a path for him to finally return to a wrestling ring under a two-year deal with WWE.

This weekend, Rusev unsuccessfully challenged Dominik Mysterio for the Intercontinental Championship in a match also involving Penta at WWE Saturday Night’s Main Event. Two weeks before that, he battled “Main Event” Jey Uso at a live event in Tokyo.

“I had to light a fire behind him because I wanted to go, man,” Rusev said in reference to Uso. “I told him, ‘I’m going so hard, and I’m not going to apologize, because I had a period of time where I’d have one match, not knowing when the next match is coming.’ That’s a very scary situation. Now we have this hot crowd in Japan. Let’s freaking go! Let’s give it 150%.”