Former WWE United States Champion Rusev, who now goes by the ring name Miro, made his AEW debut on Wednesday’s edition of Dynamite , where he cut a promo that appeared to take some shots at the company where he first gained recognition as a wrestler.
As reported by WrestlingNews.co , Miro’s debut took place during a segment where Kip Sabian announced who would be the best man in his wedding to Penelope Ford. After a couple of individuals, including recent AEW Dark competitor Brian Pillman Jr. , walked out to the ring, only for Sabian to say that they’re not the person he was referring to, Miro made his entrance, backed by a theme song with the words “I’m the best” repeated in the lyrics. As seen in the video below, commentator Tony Schiavone referred to the former WWE mid-carder as the “beast from Bulgaria” and someone who’s “really big on Twitch.”
And @TheKipSabian ‘s best man is… @ToBeMiro ?!?! #AEWDynamite on @tntdrama pic.twitter.com/Rah3veuaAx
— AEW on TV (@AEWonTV) September 10, 2020
During his introductory promo, Miro referenced the decade he spent working for WWE and its developmental territories and talked about how he was never able to break the “glass ceiling” with the proverbial “brass ring.” As quoted by WrestlingNews.co , the AEW newcomer seemed to address his former employer as he continued his spiel.
“You can take that brass ring and shove it up your a**.”
Miro then concluded his promo by introducing himself to the audience and stressing that he’s “All Elite.”
Miro’s AEW debut came shortly after he shared his memories of working with Vince McMahon and had some rather unflattering things to say about his experience with the WWE chairman. While he emphasized that he holds no ill will toward the company and is grateful for the opportunities he had been given, he alleged that officials were not happy about the fact that he had gotten over organically as a fan-favorite despite being positioned as a heel. He also accused McMahon of downplaying his surprising popularity and merchandise sales, suggesting that his items were selling out because WWE only produced a limited supply.
Despite how he got over with the “Rusev Day” gimmick, the onetime “Bulgarian Brute” remained in the mid-card scene until he was released by WWE in April as a result of budget cuts linked to the coronavirus pandemic.
Miro was not the only ex-superstar from this spring’s batch of mass releases to be announced this week as part of the AEW roster. According to Bleacher Report , the company confirmed on Wednesday that it has officially signed Tay Conti, who had previously competed on NXT before taking part in AEW’s Women’s Tag Team Cup in August.
