On the April 25, 2025 episode of Monday Night Raw, Rusev returned to WWE after five years away. He went into the ring and started viciously beating up the Alpha Academy. For the next couple of weeks, he targeted them, aiming to improve their wrestling skills.
Otis and Akira Tozawa tried their hardest to beat him, but they couldn’t. After the matches were over, he kept beating up the two men. But on May 26, 2025, an episode of Monday Night Raw, someone finally had enough of his treatment towards them.
Sheamus came out and stared him down, presenting a possible first feud since his return. Last Monday, he challenged Rusev to a match. There’s no doubt that he’ll accept the challenge. However, the history between the two men makes this a brilliant first feud since Rusev’s return to WWE.
Rusev and Sheamus Have History Inside the Ring
When Sheamus walked out of the locker room in support of Akira Tozawa, he didn’t just do it because he wanted to see the Alpha Academy not get hurt. He did it because he saw a former stablemate brutalising other wrestlers.
If you see a friend doing someone wrong, the best thing to do is to confront them in order to make them stop. The Alpha Academy did nothing to Rusev. They were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. He feels he can fix them, but he never asked them how they felt about their treatment.
Sheamus and Rusev were former members of the League of Nations alongside Alberto Del Rio and King Barrett. Rusev also won his first United States Championship from Sheamus. The two men have history in the ring, so another matchup between them is the logical thing to do.
The Two Men Have a Real-Life Friendship
In the age of social media, things aren’t heavily guarded anymore. Many wrestlers do interviews with various podcasters and wrestlers. They also post many things online, including pictures with wrestlers they’ve shared the ring with.
With that in mind, it is clear that Rusev and Sheamus are genuine friends outside of the ring. Rusev was a groomsman at Sheamus’ wedding, with tons of pictures posted with them and many other wrestlers. That was even mentioned during Sheamus’ promo on Monday.
Mentioning that shows how close their bond is in real life. There was also a picture posted on Instagram shortly after Rusev’s release from AEW with them smiling and holding beers in their hands. Fans were delighted that they were still in touch with each other. These two know everything about each other, so a feud between them will definitely bring out the best versions of themselves in the ring.
A Feud Between Friends is the Right Thing to Do
Many wrestlers have a history with each other in the ring. Whether they’re bitter rivals, stablemates, or a mixture of both, a lot of wrestlers are tied to each other. A lot of times, that’s where the relationship ends. They are business partners, then live their separate lives. That’s a perfectly fine thing to do, but some wrestlers actually keep up with each other outside of work.
A great example is Rusev and Sheamus. To be a groomsman at someone’s wedding, you have to either be family or know someone for a very long time. Rusev holding that honor shows that he has immense value to Sheamus. That’s why this feud is the first one back for Rusev.
Wrestling someone very close to you is an honor. Rusev and Sheamus know this will be a great feud for the fans and themselves.
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