Rusev made a surprise return to WWE during the Monday Night Raw following WrestleMania 41, and received a massive ovation from fans at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. The lights dimmed before the former United States Champion emerged, marking his first WWE appearance in five years.
His return follows a multi-year stint in AEW, where he competed under the name Miro. The move had been anticipated after Big E publicly mentioned that Rusev had confirmed his WWE comeback during a WrestleMania weekend Fanatics Live Signing.
Rusev and his wife CJ Perry, formerly known as Lana, were spotted in Las Vegas over WrestleMania weekend, further fueling anticipation of his return. Rusev’s re-emergence opens the door to high-stakes rivalries, with names like GUNTHER and United States Champion Jacob Fatu already being discussed as potential opponents.
The post-WrestleMania Raw has long been a stage for major surprises, and Rusev’s return added another memorable moment to that tradition.
