Rusev Says Vince McMahon Gave Him Mixed Messages on Turning Heel or Babyface

Rusevâ€s WWE career mightâ€ve looked successful from the outside, but behind the scenes, the man now known as Miro dealt with more confusion than direction.

Speaking on the Identity Crisis podcast with CJ Perry, the former United States Champion opened up about the frustrating creative inconsistencies he faced—particularly from Vince McMahon himself.

Perry brought up a 2019 meeting with McMahon after Rusev had dropped significant weight. Vince didnâ€t hold back with his thoughts on the transformation and demanded the old version of Rusev back.

“He said he wanted the big Bulgarian. He wanted a 300-pound guy. Yeah, I remember him saying to you, ‘Whereâ€s my 300—†I donâ€t know why I immediately want to go into a Russian accent—‘Whereâ€s my 300-pound Bulgarian brute?†But he really did say, ‘I want my 300-pound Bulgarian brute. That man puts asses in seats. That heel—I want you as a heel. I want you, a 300-pound Bulgarian brute, because that sells tickets.†And what did you say to him? You said, ‘Turn me heel, brother.â€â€

Rusev kept it short, confirming her memory was spot on, “Thatâ€s what I said, yes.†Perry also recalled how Vince justified the decision by saying he had too many babyfaces on the roster but no dominant villains. She noted that Eastern Europeans and Russians were still often cast as the bad guys in wrestling.

“You said, ‘Iâ€m the best heel in the business. Turn me heel.†Iâ€ll never forget this. Vince was like, ‘I have so many babyfaces, but I donâ€t have any 300-pound Bulgarian brutes.†And itâ€s just like what he was saying is that in this world, Eastern Europeans and Russians are conditioned to be the bad guys.â€

But the inconsistency didnâ€t stop there. Rusev then recalled another encounter with McMahon, where he was suddenly asked to do the opposite.

“He called me into the office before the Goldberg thing. He said, ‘Hey, hey, hey, you know, do this favor for me. Iâ€m going to owe you one.†And then he said, ‘Oh, what do you think about turning babyface?†Iâ€m like, ‘Vince, if youâ€re behind it, Iâ€m behind it, because I know itâ€s going to work.†So, heâ€s asked me to be a babyface before, but then heâ€s asked me to be a heel again after. And thatâ€s what Iâ€m saying—itâ€s all these mixed messages with nothing in between.â€

Despite the Rusev Day chants echoing through arenas, Vince McMahon was never fully on board. He only saw Rusev as a powerhouse and nothing more, ignoring the overwhelming crowd support that came with the characterâ€s evolution.

WWEâ€s back-and-forth with Rusev is a clear case of a system that can often get in its own way. One week youâ€re a fan favorite; the next, youâ€re back to brute mode. Through it all, Rusev stayed loyal to the process—but now, with his creative freedom outside WWE, heâ€s finally showing the full range of what he can do.

Please credit Ringside News if you use the above transcript in your publication.

Do you think WWE held Rusev back creatively, or was it just bad timing? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.

November 3, 2025 11:18 am

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