Rusev

It just makes me smile - every time I hear somebody say 'Rusev Day,' it just makes me smile.

day me smile time

I learned to kick trees with my bare feet to strengthen my legs.

kick trees legs feet

I had the opportunity to come to the United States of America as an exchange student, so I had to come for four months, work, and then go back.

back go work opportunity

I do want to look my best - I do want to be at my best - 'cause I do want to be WWE Champion. I do want to be on top.

best look champion want

I feel like, the more you hang around, the more you're forgotten. It doesn't matter how good you are.

feel good you matter

The tank entrance at WrestleMania 31 is my favorite moment in WWE.

entrance favorite wwe moment

Being a foreigner bad guy doesn't have to be my destiny, and I can be much more than that.

bad-guy bad destiny i-can

When an American person hears you speak a different language, you're automatically the bad guy.

bad you language speak

The Rock taught me you don't always have to talk or move all the time. You can just stand there and soak it in. Let the crowd just do what they do.

stand me you time

I cut my hair. I did that. That wasn't a good decision.

cut good decision hair

Holy crap, cross fit! It's terrible, but I'm doing that now. Anything so that I can look better.

doing better look i-can

I love being a heel.

heel i-love being love

I had a friend named Vasil Rusev in my rowing classes. I've always liked that name. When I first started in WWE, I had the opportunity to choose a name, and I choose Rusev.

choose name friend opportunity

Most wrestling fans in WWE heard about Bulgaria after I showed up on the scene.

about up fans wrestling

When you're good at something, there's always someone to spit on you.

someone good you always

To be a foreigner may be an advantage but disadvantage as well. It was advantage for me for sure.

disadvantage well me may

I always knew what I had, and I knew I was more than just 'the foreign guy.' I have personality, and as soon as I had chance to show it, I just did it. A lot of people don't like it, and a lot of people frown upon it and think I should just be stuck in that box, but it's just not me.

me chance personality people

I am an artist, and I have a lot more to offer than just being a one-dimensional character, and I think our audience sees that and understands that - they're behind it.

i-am think artist character

When you have been stuck in that heel, bad-guy role as the foreigner who never talks, you want to get out of there, have fun, and just be you.

have-fun never you fun

Being the United States champion, it makes me elevate the title even more because, at the end of the day, that is what I wanna do. I wanna elevate the title, whether it be the world championship, the universal championship, any of these titles.

day me champion world