Rusev opens up about his AEW run; reveals why he returned to WWE

Rusev returned to WWE on RAW after WrestleMania 41 earlier this year. It was a heartfelt comeback for the fans who have been rooting for him since his first stint in the Stamford-based promotion. Before his homecoming, The Bulgarian Brute had a run in AEW. Recently, the 39-year-old talked about his time with the Tony Khan-led promotion.

The former United States Champion was released by WWE in mid-2020 due to budget cuts. Following an exit from the sports entertainment juggernaut, Rusev found his way to All Elite Wrestling. He made his debut for the promotion in September as Miro and went on to have a decent run with the company. However, in February 2025, he left the Jacksonville-based promotion to come back to WWE.

Speaking with Denise Salcedo on her YouTube channel, Rusev expressed gratitude for his time in All Elite Wrestling. He said that working with the promotion made him realize he was one of the best in the world. The Bulgarian Brute said that his AEW run helped him to gain confidence and further hone his skills. However, there was always a desire within him to become the World Heavyweight Champion in WWE, which eventually paved the way for his return to the Stamford-based promotion.

"I learned that I’m the best in the world. I was there for a few years, I beat up quite a few people, and I gained my confidence way more than I had before in WWE, all the experience from the years before.What I’ve been taught by John Cena, by the Big Show, by all these great, amazing superstars that I fought in WWE, I had to put to the test when I was in AEW. I had to use everything I’ve learned. After I did that, after I experimented, after I saw that I’m the best one there, I thought it was time to come back, no doubt, because I still have the goal to be a World Heavyweight Champion here in WWE." [H/T - Fightful]

Check out the full interview below:

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Rusev will face Sheamus in his first WWE Premium Live Event match since 2019

Rusev has been involved in a rugged feud with Sheamus on Monday Night RAW for the past few weeks. The two stars have clashed three times on RAW, with each securing one victory and their third encounter ending in a double count-out.

Later tonight at Clash in Paris, the two behemoths will go toe-to-toe in a Good Ol' Fashioned Donnybrook match. It will mark The Bulgarian Brute's first PLE match in WWE since 2019. His last PLE match was against Bobby Lashley at WWE TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs.

The fans seem to be heavily invested in the ongoing feud between Rusev and Sheamus. After having had solid showdowns in singles matches previously, they will take over the ring in a gimmick match tonight.

That said, it will be interesting to see how things will turn out for the former AEW star in WWE from here on.