Did WWE Drop Championship Plans For Rusev?

If there was such a thing as wrestling fantasy football, and you owned Rusev, it's time to be worried.

He's missed a significant chunk of 2017 with a shoulder injury that appears to have required surgery. Strangely, there's not much literature circulating the internet about what exactly Rusevs' injury was nor its timetable for return.

Some reports dating back to March claim that Rusev would be healthy in 2 months. Well, it's been a little over two months and we have yet to see the Bulgarian Brute on WWE television.

Although he hasn't totally disappeared. A few weeks back, Rusev showed up on a SmackDown taped segment. It wasn't pointless either, Rusev pledged to show up on Smackdown to confront GM Shane McMahon.

Nearly a month later, that has yet to happen.

But it doesn't end there. In this video, Rusev gave an ultimatum: Give me a title shot at Money in the Bank or I'm going back to Bulgaria.

Love the bold play, but as of this past episode of Smackdown, all of the Money in the Bank title matches are spoken for. Randy Orton will get his WWE Championship rematch against Jinder Mahal. The United States Championship will be occupied as its owner, Kevin Owens will be competing in the actual Money in the Bank Match. The tag tittles will likely be spoken for as well as all signs point to a New Day/Usos feud. From this vantage point, it seems like there is nowhere for Rusev to go.

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Rusev's declaration appeared to be well received by the WWE Universe as Rusev is regarded as a talented and entertaining wrestler. Although he's technically a singles writers he's really been hampered by his foreign heel gimmick and his handcuffing to Lana.

Recently, WWE placed Lana is already on a solo path of her own. And, speaking of foreign heels, WWE just made one champion. Was the rise of Jinder Mahal given life by the injury of Rusev? One could logically think so. Having 2, anti-American heels would be excessive in the 1980's, so by today's standards, it looks like Rusev is due a makeover.

But where is he? The last known footage of the man was him hyping the crowd at Nashville Predators game. What's clear is that his initial demands have fallen flat. There is potential that he is squeezed into the Money in the Bank match, but that's hardly a title opportunity. Considering that talents such as AJ Styles and Shinsuke Nakamura will be involved it's hard to see Rusev leaving victorious.

Stay tuned, folks.

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