Rusev | |
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Rusev in 2015
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Birth name | Miroslav Barnyashev (Bulgarian: Мирослав Барняшев) |
Born |
Plovdiv, Plovdiv, People's Republic of Bulgaria |
December 25, 1984
Residence |
Nashville, Tennessee, United States |
Spouse(s) | Lana (m. 2016) |
Professional wrestling career | |
Ring name(s) | Alexander Rusev Miroslav Miroslav Makarov Rusev |
Billed height | 6 ft 0 in (1.83 m) |
Billed weight | 138 kg (304 lb) |
Billed from |
Bulgaria Moscow, Russia |
Trained by |
Florida Championship Wrestling Gangrel WWE NXT Rikishi |
Debut | November 22, 2008 |
Miroslav Barnyashev (Bulgarian: Мирослав Барняшев; born December 25, 1984), is a Bulgarian professional wrestler and former powerlifter and rower. He is currently signed to the American professional wrestling promotion WWE, where he performs under the ring name Rusev (Bulgarian: Русев) on the Raw brand.
A two-time former WWE United States Champion, Barnyashev is the first Bulgarian to have wrestled for WWE.
Rusev was born on December 25, 1984 in the then-People's Republic of Bulgaria. He attended a sports school while growing up and competed in rowing and powerlifting as an adult.
In the mid-2000s, Barnyashev emigrated from Bulgaria to the United States with the ambition of becoming a professional wrestler. He originally lived in Virginia, before relocating to Torrance, California, where he began training as a wrestler under Gangrel and Rikishi at the Knokx Pro Wrestling Academy. Barnyashev debuted in the San Diego, California-based independent promotion New Wave Pro Wrestling on November 22, 2008, under the ring name Miroslav Makaraov, defeating Aerial Star. In 2010, Barnyashev joined the Santa Maria, California-based independent promotion Vendetta Pro Wrestling (VPW), shortening his ring name to Miroslav. While wrestling for VPW, he was managed by Markus Mac.