Rusev suffered a head injury during the Intercontinental Championship Ladder Match at WrestleMania 42 on April 19. CJ Perry confirmed the injury following the event at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.
Perry revealed the extent of the damage during an appearance on TMZ’s Inside The Ring. She described seeing a large bump on Rusev’s head when she met him after the show.
“He has a huge bump on his head… I saw it… his bump was like this big,” Perry said on the show.
Despite the visible injury, Rusev downplayed the situation to his wife.
“I’m like, ‘Are you okay?’ He’s like, ‘I’m fine, I just grazed the ladder,’” Perry added.
She emphasized the physical reality of ladder matches and their toll on performers.
“He’s okay… as okay as you can be after a ladder match… their bodies have been through war,” Perry explained.
WrestleMania 42 Ladder Match Results
Rusev competed against Penta, Rey Mysterio, Je’Von Evans, Dragon Lee, and JD McDonagh in the six-man ladder match. Penta retained the Intercontinental Championship, which he had held since defeating Dominik Mysterio on the March 2 episode of Raw.
The match marked one of Rusev’s first major ladder matches on the WrestleMania stage. He had positioned himself as a dominant force heading into the event but left without the title.
Perry was not ringside for the match but has continued to support Rusev’s WWE run through media appearances. The Bulgarian Brute is now in recovery mode following the physically demanding bout.
The former WWE star recently spoke to Ariel Helwani for a new interview. She talked about things such as Pat McAfee getting involved in the story between Randy Orton and Cody Rhodes, her friendship with Liv Morgan, and more.
With her husband Rusev having returned to WWE, she was also asked about the potential of her own return.
Lana who now goes by the name CJ Perry, noted that she will appear when the time is right, and hoped that it will be sooner rather than later:
“Lana, right now, is exiled in Siberia. She let her country down and is doing work there. CJ, when the time is right, I will appear. Hopefully that will happen sooner rather than later, but in the meantime, I’m focusing on writing.”
Lana was the manager for Rusev both in NXT and on the main roster. She also had a short run with AEW in 2023 after her husband signed with the promotion, where she briefly managed Andrade as well.
Though she hasn’t appeared on wrestling TV since December that year.
When asked if she would like to work with Rusev on TV again, Perry said that would be a dream, touting the Bulgarian Brute as one of the most creative wrestlers:
“That would be a dream, for sure. I love working with my husband. One of my favorite things to do is collaborate with create with other creatives, and I think my husband is one of the most creative, smart, funny, athletic, iconic wrestlers and creative minds that I know.”
Rusev will be part of the IC Title ladder match at Night 2 of WrestleMania 42. He will join Dragon Lee, JD McDonagh, Je’Von Evans and Rey Mysterio in challenging Penta for the belt.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON – MARCH 9: <> during Monday Night RAW at Climate Pledge Arena on March 9, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by WWE/WWE)
The dynamics that have all but defined Judgment Day across its four-year run include in-fighting and transformation. Indeed, it’s telling that the group launched with Edge teaming up with Damian Priest, before Rhea Ripley and Finn Balor joined their ranks. Fast forward to the present and none of those four members remain in the faction. Rather, Dominik Mysterio, the youngster the faction seemed to manipulate into betraying his father now comes across as the mastermind who ousted Balor from the clubhouse.
Other talents have come and gone from Judgment Day, with R-Truth and Carlito each playing offbeat, often as not comedic supporting roles. The group still has Mysterio and Liv Morgan in the de facto leadership roles, with JD McDonough and Raquel Rodriguez backing them up plus, when she returns to action, Roxanne Perez as an up and comer. Balor’s departure from the group leaves a void, though, as, for the first time in group history, they lack a male performer who’s both in the upper echelon of in-ring workers and credible to insert into the main event picture.
Judgment Day has, to its credit, reinvented itself time and again. Assuming the faction isn’t winding down its run—and with Morgan likely walking out of WrestleMania as Women’s World Champion and Mysterio continuing to come into his own, they probably shouldn’t– it does feel as though the group would benefit from a new addition.
Perhaps a new talent could lend a hand in the group prevailing at WrestleMania, or else come in as reinforcements after some major setbacks in Vegas. Regardless, there’s a lot of potential on the WWE roster to write this stable’s next chapter.
Omos
Photo Credit: WWE
Omos has had a strange run with WWE. His story seems to come down to him being too awesome a physical spectacle for WWE to give up on him, while also struggling to come along as a performer, such that the company’s not fully behind him.
By virtue of the giant’s look and size, he could add immediate gravitas to Judgment Day. He can play the old school heater the way Diesel was for Shawn Michaels—someone Dominik Mysterio and JD McDonough can carry the work load for in the ring and on the mic while also hiding behind Omos as cowardly heels.
Ethan Page
Photo Credit: OfficialEGO on X
Ethan Page has had a fantastic run in NXT. There’s a case that he still has more to accomplish there or that when he gets the call up, he should renew his partnership with Chelsea Green on a bigger stage. Judgment Day is another option, though.
When Roxanne Perez joined the faction, it highlighted the ability of Judgment Day, with its notoriety and capacity for in-fighting, to immediately give a fresh main roster talent a clear role and interesting storylines. Page’s natural heel inclinations could fit the group, while also planting seeds for the next power struggle as his All Ego persona invites eventual conflict with Dominik Mysterio and Liv Morgan about who is actually in charge.
Importantly, while Page isn’t a giant, he’s also a big-bodied enough to add a different dimension and greater physical credibility to the stable moving forward.
Damian Priest
Photo Credit: WWE
For all the talents who’ve made their way in and out of Judgment Day, one angle WWE hasn’t explored yet is someone coming back home to the faction after having splintered off. Some of that’s with good reason. Edge felt more natural as a babyface legend before leaving for AEW. Rhea Ripley has thrived out on her own.
It has been a different story for Damian Priest. He arguably did some of his very best main roster work in the immediate aftermath of his old running buddies turning on him. Playing a destructive force of a babyface and working together with Rhea Ripley, Priest came across as a legitimate force and, in some ways, more credible at the top of the card than he had during his World Heavyweight Championship reign.
The years to follow have been rougher, though. Priest feels as though he’s largely returned to the early days of his main roster run, credible in the upper card, but a step behind talents like Drew McIntyre, matched up well against Aleister Black, but without a clear path forward. Spending his WrestleMania season in the SmackDown tag title picture makes reasonable sense, as his credibility and R-Truth’s comedy complement one another, but that doesn’t feel like a sustainable future, especially with so many legitimate full-time tag teams working today.
The Archer of Infamy and Judgment Day could help one another out. On one hand it would be throwback. On the other hand, the collab could revitalize Priest’s sense of direction while beefing up Judgment Day with a big man who carries former world champ credentials.
Danhausen
Judgment Day could use a big body and a ring general. An integral part of the faction’s history also comes down to odd couples, though, and humor offsetting their more serious pursuits. Indeed, the Prison Dom gimmick both put Dominik Mysterio on the map as a heel and added layers to Judgment Day. From there, R-Truth’s wacky antics kept the group vital, then Carlito’s background role and feeling smitten with the women in the group all added tremendous entertainment value.
Despite a rocky introduction, Danhausen has beaten the odds in getting some traction with the WWE audience over the weeks to follow. One of the keys to such an off-kilter character maintaining his momentum will be having straight men to play off and ideally build ongoing stories with. The Very Nice, Very Evil Superstar already interacted with Judgment Day, cursing Mysterio en route to him dropping the Intercontinental Championship to Penta. Could there be more in store?
Maybe Mysterio could try to harness Danhausen’s powers to curse opponents. Maybe WWE could play up odd couple dynamics between the new star and the women of Judgment Day. Regardless, there’s a great deal of potential for something genuinely new for the group and something to give Danhausen direction in them striking up a partnership.
Rusev
Photo credit: WWE
Rusev is a talented big man, but his decisive loss to Oba Femi on Raw seems to confirm what many fans have suspected for months. WWE sees Rusev, at this stage of his career, less as a featured player in his own right than an imposing jobber to the stars.
Positioning The Bulgarian Brute as a heater for Judgment Day could serve multiple purposes. Like Damian Priest, he’d offer a big body with some credibility, plus he’s a good worker. The old Rusev Day gimmick demonstrated his ability to play into comedy as well. Meanwhile, for Rusev’s benefit, enrollment in the faction would give him a regular purpose on TV. The alliance would also open up tag team options with Dominik Mysterio or especially JD McDonough to both drive the big man’s character forward and offer an organic route for Judgment Day to collect more gold.
Rusev will evaluate his wrestling future in 5 years.
The WWE star recently spoke to Chris Van Vliet for an interview where he discussed things such as his infamous storyline with Lana and Bobby Lashley, his early life in Bulgaria, working with Dusty Rhodes in NXT, and more.
With the recent string of retirements in the industry, Rusev was also asked if he has thought about the end of his own career. The 40-year-old said that his plan is to make a decision after evaluating his physical condition at 45. Though he also noted that he feels better than he has done in a long time due to the reduced schedule and better training:
“I said 45 and then reevaluate the body, see how it feels. But so far, I feel great. I haven’t felt that good in a long time, because it’s not like you have matches every day. So the body is way more protected. I take care of my body a lot more. I do a lot of stretching and massages. I eat a lot better. I train a lot smarter. So I just take care of my body, and I know that the body’s going to take care of me.”
Elsewhere in the interview, the former AEW star also opened up about his WWE return. Rusev, who had only wrestled 11 matches for Tony Khan\’s promotion since 2022, said that wanting to wrestle more was one of the reasons he chose to sign with WWE again.
Apart from this, the former TNT Champion discussed his WrestleMania 31 rivalry with John Cena and revealed the biggest thing he learned from working with the Hollywood star. You can check out his comments here.
Rusev has revealed what he learned from John Cena.
The former US Champion recently spoke to Chris Van Vliet for a new interview. He talked about things such as his time in NXT, being part of League of Nations faction, how much longer he wants to wrestle and more.
During the interview, Rusev was also asked about his WrestleMania 31 rivalry with John Cena and what is the biggest thing he learned from the Cenation Leader. The former AEW star said that Cena taught him that there is no such thing as a bad crowd:
“Just timing, take my time. There’s no such thing as a TV match and a live event match, like there’s no such thing as a bad crowd. If they’re not reacting, it’s because you’re not giving them what they want to see. Him listening, ‘Okay, is it a high pitch? Is it low-pitched? Who’s out there tonight? What’s the vibe?’\”
Rusev explained that working with John Cena helped him realize that not every match requires fast-paced action, and it\’s all about figuring out what the crowd wants:
\”He’s always there, watching and learning the crowd as much as everything else. Not everything has to be like [fast paced] it’s got to make sense, and it’s got to take your time and listen to the crowd. I think that’s the most important thing. Just listen to the crowd. They’ll tell you what to do.”
Apart from this, the former TNT Champion also opened up about the infamous Lana and Bobby Lashley storyline. He revealed how the story was originally pitched to him. You can check out his comments here.
Rusev has revealed how WWE got him to agree to the infamous Bobby Lashley storyline.
The former US Champion recently spoke to Chris Van Vliet for a new interview. He talked about things such as the best advice he got from John Cena, growing up in poverty, how match with Dolph Ziggler put him on the map in NXT and more.
During the session, he also opened up about the storyline involving his wife Lana and Bobby Lashley. When asked how it was originally pitched to him, Rusev revealed that he was originally told that the story would lead to a match between him and the All Mighty at WrestleMania:
“WrestleMania match. That’s how it was pitched to me. I said, Great, I can deal with that. We just never got there. But it was a good story. I understood the story. It was not my favorite story, but I understood it. And when they told me what the final goal was, I said, All right, that sounds good to me. We have a direction, we have a dip, we have a comeback. We have a good story to finish it.”
The storyline from late 2019 saw Lana having an affair with Bobby Lashley. When Rusev questioned his wife about it, the female star accused the Bulgarian Brute of being a controlling sex addict, leading to Lana divorcing her husband in a Raw segment. Rusev had multiple matches with Lashley during this rivalry including one at the 2019 TLC PPV but he was unable to beat the former WWE Champion. He was then released from his WWE contract in April 2020, only a few weeks after WrestleMania 36.
When asked how he felt about his wife making out with another guy, the WWE star pointed out that it was no different than Hollywood actors getting intimate with their co-stars on screen:
“It’s acting, though, it’s nothing else, all these Hollywood people, and she’s the only one. How many other WWE female Superstars have made out with so many people? It’s just part of the business. If you start selling it, of course it’s gonna go bad for you, but as long as you take it just to work, it’s nothing else than just to work.”
Rusev was featured in the Last Time is Now tournament last year. He has had several matches on Main Event since then, but the 40-year-old has not competed on Raw or SmackDown this year.
Rusev has been noticeably absent from WWE television in recent weeks, prompting questions about his status following a promising return to the company in 2025. According to PWInsider, the Bulgarian Brute\’s absence is a deliberate creative decision by WWE, not the result of injury or disciplinary action.
The former United States Champion made his return to WWE on the April 21, 2025 episode of Raw, the night after WrestleMania 41, attacking Alpha Academy and immediately reestablishing himself as a dominant heel. His comeback marked the end of a five-year absence from WWE following his 2020 release, during which he competed in AEW under the ring name Miro and captured the TNT Championship.
Rusev\’s 2025 WWE Run
Upon his return, Rusev was positioned strongly on Monday Night Raw. He engaged in a notable feud with Sheamus that culminated in an \”Old Fashioned Donnybrook Brawl\” at Clash in Paris in August 2025, which Rusev won by submission. Following that victory, Rusev set his sights on championship gold and entered into a program with Intercontinental Champion Dominik Mysterio and The Judgment Day faction.
The Last Time Is Now Tournament
Rusev was among the 16 competitors selected for \”The Last Time Is Now\” tournament, which was held to determine John Cena\’s opponent for his retirement match at Saturday Night\’s Main Event XLII on December 13, 2025. The tournament began on the November 10 episode of Raw and featured talent from Raw, SmackDown, NXT, and surprise returning stars.
In the first round, Rusev defeated Damian Priest to advance to the quarterfinals. However, his tournament run came to an end on the November 28 episode of SmackDown (which was taped on November 21), when he lost to Jey Uso. The match saw Rusev come close to victory, locking in the Accolade and hitting a Machka Kick for near falls, but Uso ultimately prevailed with a spear followed by an Uso Splash.
Last Televised Appearance
Rusev\’s last televised match came on the December 6 edition of WWE Main Event (taped December 1), where he defeated Alpha Academy\’s Otis by submission with the Accolade. The match saw Rusev work over his opponent methodically before securing the victory in the main event of the show.
Reason for Absence
According to PWInsider, WWE has intentionally removed Rusev from weekly programming while he is not actively involved in a storyline. The belief internally is that if a talent is not central to an active story, it is sometimes better to remove them from television entirely rather than overexpose them without meaningful direction. The goal is to preserve Rusev\’s presence and make his eventual return more impactful.
Rusev has not been singled out with this approach. The Street Profits (Montez Ford and Angelo Dawkins), who held the WWE Tag Team Championships from March until July 2025, have similarly been held off television for the same reasons. Ford and Dawkins last competed on the November 1 episode of Main Event. However, Rusev\’s situation has drawn more attention given the momentum he appeared to have regained late in 2025 following his strong in-ring performances.
KECH Pro Wrestling Academy
During his time away from television, Rusev announced the launch of his new wrestling school, KECH Pro Wrestling Academy. The school is based in Nashville, Tennessee, and is scheduled to open on March 1, 2026. \”Kech\” is the Bulgarian term for professional wrestling, representing Rusev\’s heritage.
The academy will offer training programs for both adults and children, including a specialized \”SUPER KECH\” program for younger aspiring wrestlers. Rusev has also announced advanced training sessions for experienced wrestlers looking to refine their craft. Operating under the tagline \”Train like a pro – Trained by a pro,\” the school positions Rusev as a hands-on instructor drawing from his years of experience in WWE and AEW.
Royal Rumble Speculation
Rusev, Ford, and Dawkins have all appeared on promotional materials for the 2026 Royal Rumble, which will take place on January 31 at the King Abdullah Financial District in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. While there is no official confirmation that Rusev will compete in the 30-man Royal Rumble match, his inclusion in promotional artwork has fueled speculation about his potential return at the event.
The good news for fans is that Rusev is not injured and theoretically could return at any time once WWE creative has plans for him.
Former WWE star CJ Perry has announced she will be returning to professional wrestling and plans to hit the independent scene as a manager.
Speaking on TMZ\’s Inside The Ring, Perry revealed her intentions to return to the business that made her famous, with a focus on mic work and managing talent.
\”I\’m making an announcement, okay, that I will be returning back to professional wrestling and I\’m going to be hitting the indie scene,\” Perry said.
\”Definitely on the mic and managing 100%. And that\’s also why I\’m enrolling in standup because I want to be so good on the mic. I want to be so sharp. I want to be so iconic.\”
Perry disclosed that she has already enrolled in standup comedy classes to sharpen her promo skills, with her first standup show scheduled for March 26. She described the show as being \”catered to the wrestling fan base.\”
The former Lana revealed ambitious plans to scout new talent on the indie circuit. \”I\’m going to start going to wrestling events and I\’m going to start searching for the next super athlete,\” Perry explained. \”I\’m going to be traveling. I eventually want to take the podcast on the road.\”
\”What separates this compared to all other professional wrestling schools is that it\’s going to have a really serious children\’s department where we\’re training kids at a very young age to go after their dreams,\” Perry said, noting that \”Catch\” means professional wrestling in Bulgarian.
Perry\’s return to wrestling comes after years away from the ring following her departure from WWE. Her focus on managing and promo work suggests she\’s looking to establish herself as a Paul Heyman-style figure in the independent wrestling scene.
WWE Superstar Rusev is stepping into a new role as he prepares to open his own professional wrestling training facility in Nashville, Tennessee.
The Bulgarian powerhouse announced his KECH Pro Wrestling Academy will officially open its doors on March 1, 2026. The school will offer training programs for both adults and children, including a specialized \”SUPER KECH\” program designed for younger aspiring wrestlers.
https://www.instagram.com/p/DS-vBrTkk6B
Operating under the tagline \”Train like a pro — Trained by a pro,\” the academy positions Rusev as a hands-on instructor sharing his experience from years competing at the highest levels of professional wrestling.
Registration for the school is currently open, with interested trainees able to sign up through the academy\’s official channels. The school has already established its presence on social media, launching an Instagram account to share updates as the March opening approaches.
Nashville continues to emerge as a destination for professional wrestling, with Rusev\’s academy adding to the city\’s growing presence in the industry.
Rusev returned to WWE on the April 21, 2025 Raw, reverting from his AEW “Miro” persona and immediately reestablishing himself as a dominant heel by destroying Alpha Academy during a tag match involving The New Day. Now part of the Raw roster on a reported two-year deal, the three-time United States Champion has worked a limited but high-profile schedule, including his in-ring return win over Otis on May 5 and featured bouts like Clash in Paris against Sheamus and a multi-man King of the Ring match won by Jey Uso.
In interviews, he has framed this run as both a quest to finally become a world champion in WWE and an opportunity to mentor younger talent, stressing that his main goal is to push them to seize their opportunities and work harder than he once did.
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