EXCLUSIVE: Backstage Update On Reason Rusev Was Removed Then Placed Back Into Casket Match With The Undertaker
As you probably know by now, there has been a lot of drama surrounding the Casket Match planned for WWE’s Greatest Royal Rumble event on April 27th from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.
It was announced initially last week that Rusev would be facing The Undertaker in a casket match at the Greatest Royal Rumble. What followed is confusing to say the least..
Rusev reacted to the announcement of the match by tweeting, “Bury me softly, brother” in reference to his casket match against The Undertaker. The following day Rusev and Lana were interviewed by TMZ, which saw Rusev and Lana put the match over in character. In the interview, Rusev says that he felt That The Undertaker was “kind of a little bit in the past”, and that he would crush him in the match.
You can see the interview with TMZ below:
Former WWE Diva, and wife of The Undertaker, Michelle McCool took to twitter to voice her thoughts on the interview after apparently catching wind that Rusev claimed that he would “crush his old ass.” Which if you listen to the interview Rusev never actually says that at all.
Had to listen to see if “crush his old a$$” was ACTUALLY said! Guess some people are smarter than others…😎🙄🖤 https://t.co/avOLWKORV8
— Michelle McCool (@McCoolMichelleL) April 12, 2018
Within a few hours after the interview hit the internet and Michelle McCool’s tweets and reaction to the interview happened, WWE made the announcement that Rusev had been pulled from the match and replaced by Chris Jericho. WWE storylined the ordeal having Lana tweet, “All over the world, little boys and girls are celebrating #RusevDay, they smile for the greatest Superstar ever ! I’ve already spoke with @WWE officials to change that match because I REFUSE to let my husband @RusevBUL compete in a Casket Match at #WWEGRR! Happy #RusevDay”
You can see Lana’s tweet below:
All over the world, little boys and girls are celebrating #RusevDay, they smile for the greatest Superstar ever ! I’ve already spoke with @WWE officials to change that match because I REFUSE to let my husband @RusevBUL compete in a Casket Match at #WWEGRR! Happy #RusevDay
— CJ (Lana) Perry (@LanaWWE) April 12, 2018
Fast forward to today, when it was once again announced that there has been a change made to the Casket Match at the Greatest Royal Rumble. Chris Jericho will now no longer be competing in the match, and Rusev is once again back in.
In an update to the story, Bodyslam.net has an exclusive as our own Brad Shepard is reporting that the reason WWE removed Rusev from the match initially was that apparently his interview with TMZ rubbed somebody in the office the wrong way. WWE is said to be very sensitive when it comes to potentially offending any of their “old timers”, and were concerned that Rusev’s comments might have offended The Undertaker after seeing the reaction from his wife. Once WWE realized that The Undertaker was not offended by anything Rusev had said the decision was made to once again put him back into the match.
Regarding Rusev’s removal and eventual placement back into the casket match with The Undertaker, Shepard said:
“A source in WWE told me that somebody in the office was definitely rubbed the wrong way by the initial comments Rusev made to TMZ (where he referenced Undertaker as being old). WWE is very sensitive to the potential of offending old timers. Once they realized Undertaker wasn’t offended, they put Rusev back in the match.”
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