Returning WWE star's gimmick "fell apart" after rejected Kurt Angle idea, veteran recalls (Exclusive)

Modified Apr 07, 2025 17:52 GMT

WWE Hall of Famer Kurt Angle [Image Credit: wwe.com]

Kurt Angle is widely viewed as one of the greatest wrestlers in WWE history. Vince Russo, the company's former head writer, believes Rusev's career could have panned out differently if he had worked with the Olympic gold medalist.

Rusev reportedly re-signed with WWE recently after four-and-a-half years in AEW. Although he is from Bulgaria in real life, the 39-year-old represented Russia at the height of his heel run in the Stamford-based promotion in 2015. He pitched to face Angle in an America vs. Russia match, but the company's higher-ups rejected the idea.

Russo discussed Rusev's WWE return on Sportskeeda Wrestling's Writing With Russo alongside host Dr. Chris Featherstone. The veteran writer said a high-profile bout with American hero Angle would have taken Rusev to the next level:

"I remember there was a time when they hadn't done anything with Kurt, and if they would have brought Kurt in as a babyface, because I remember that would have got him [to the next level]," Russo stated. "But they had him like right there, bro, and then it just all fell apart." [5:16 – 5:32]

Watch the video above to hear Russo explain how he would book Aleister Black, Andrade, and Rusev in WWE.

How WWE booked Rusev after rejecting Kurt Angle idea

In 2015, John Cena defeated Rusev in one of the biggest matches at WrestleMania 31 to win the United States Championship.

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Rusev revealed on his YouTube channel in 2020 that he thought a feud with Kurt Angle would have been good for the storyline. However, someone from WWE management had concerns about the wrestling legend's health:

"They told me no. This is verbatim [from] the person who told me. He said, 'We don't wanna feel responsible if he comes back and dies.'"

Kurt Angle cemented his status as a WWE all-time great between 1998 and 2006 before returning in 2017. He has spoken openly about battling painkiller addiction issues for several years.

Please credit Writing With Russo and embed the video if you use Vince Russo's quotes from this article, giving an H/T to Sportskeeda Wrestling for the transcription.

About the author

Danny Hart is a journalist who has been reporting on pro wrestling (WWE) at Sportskeeda since 2017. He grew up as a massive fan of football/soccer and wrestling, leading him to pursue a career in sports journalism.

Before assuming his current role, Hart worked as a football writer at Goal.com between 2009 and 2016. He prides himself on writing original content that is fact-based and highly accurate. Hart thoroughly proofreads his work before submitting it and relies only on credible sources for information.

Hart’s favorite pro wrestler is The Undertaker. He admires the 2022 WWE Hall of Famer’s ability to reinvent his character and remain relevant across his decades-long career. If given the keys to WWE’s creative department, he would bring back The Phenom for a farewell bout against AJ Styles in a stadium full of fans. Not only that, but he would love to have the multi-time world champion’s greatest rivals seated at ringside for the spectacle.

When not watching and covering sports, Hart enjoys long-distance running, playing video games, and listening to audiobooks and podcasts.

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Edited by Danny Hart