Miroslav Barnyashev ( bg, Мирослав Барняшев, ; born December 25, 1984) is a Bulgarian-American
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring o ...
. He is currently signed to
All Elite Wrestling
All Elite Wrestling (AEW) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Jacksonville, Florida. It is considered the second largest wrestling promotion in the United States behind WWE.
AEW is owned by Shahid Khan and his son Tony, ...
(AEW), where he performs under the
ring name
A ring name is a type of stage name used by an athlete such as a professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, or boxer whose real name is considered unattractive, dull, difficult to pronounce or spell, amusing for the wrong reasons, or project ...
Miro and is a one-time
AEW TNT Champion. He is also known for his decade-long career in
WWE under the ring name Rusev, where he became the first and so far only Bulgarian wrestler to have worked for WWE.
In 2010, Barnyashev signed a contract with WWE and was assigned to
Florida Championship Wrestling
Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) was a professional wrestling promotion based on the former National Wrestling Alliance member promotion, Championship Wrestling from Florida, which operated from 1961 until 1987. From October 2007 to August ...
(FCW), which was rebranded as
NXT
NXT may refer to:
Professional wrestling
* ''WWE NXT'', a professional wrestling television program produced by WWE that began in 2010
** NXT (WWE brand), WWE's Florida-based brand and former developmental territory
* ''NXT UK'', the British spin- ...
in 2012 (WWE's
developmental territories). He performed on NXT until 2014, when he and his manager
Lana were called to WWE's main roster. He is a three-time
WWE United States Champion
The WWE United States Championship is a professional wrestling championship promoted by the American promotion WWE, currently defended on the Raw brand division. It is one of two secondary championships for WWE's main roster, along with the WW ...
. He was released by WWE in April 2020, debuting in AEW as Miro in September of that year.
Early life
Miroslav Barnyashev
was born on December 25, 1984
in
Plovdiv
Plovdiv ( bg, Пловдив, ), is the second-largest city in Bulgaria, standing on the banks of the Maritsa river in the historical region of Thrace. It has a population of 346,893 and 675,000 in the greater metropolitan area. Plovdiv is the ...
, which was then part of the
People's Republic of Bulgaria
The People's Republic of Bulgaria (PRB; bg, Народна Република България (НРБ), ''Narodna Republika Balgariya, NRB'') was the official name of Bulgaria, when it was a socialist republic from 1946 to 1990, ruled by the ...
.
He attended a
sports school
A sports school (russian: Детско-Юношеская Спортивная Школа, ДЮСШ) is a type of educational institution for children that originated in the Soviet Union. Sports schools were the basis of the powerful system of p ...
while growing up and competed in
rowing
Rowing is the act of propelling a human-powered watercraft using the sweeping motions of oars to displace water and generate reactional propulsion. Rowing is functionally similar to paddling, but rowing requires oars to be mechanically ...
,
powerlifting
Powerlifting is a strength sport that consists of three attempts at maximal weight on three lifts: squat, bench press, and deadlift. As in the sport of Olympic weightlifting, it involves the athlete attempting a maximal weight single-lift effo ...
, and
sambo
, aka = Sombo (in English-speaking countries)
, focus = Hybrid
, country = Soviet Union
, pioneers = Viktor Spiridonov, Vasili Oshchepkov, Anatoly Kharlampiev
, famous_pract = List of Practitioners
, olymp ...
as an adult.
Professional wrestling career
Early career (2008–2010)
In the mid-2000s, Barnyashev moved from Bulgaria to the U.S. with the ambition of becoming a
professional wrestler
Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring o ...
. He originally lived in
Virginia
Virginia, officially the Commonwealth of Virginia, is a state in the Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States, between the Atlantic Coast and the Appalachian Mountains. The geography and climate of the Commonwealth are ...
,
before relocating to
Torrance, California
Torrance is a city in the Los Angeles metropolitan area located in Los Angeles County, California, United States. The city is part of what is known as the South Bay region of the metropolitan area. Torrance has of beachfront on the Pacific O ...
, where he began training as a wrestler under
Gangrel
David William Heath (born February 16, 1969) is an American semi-retired professional wrestler. He is best known for his appearances in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) from 1998 to 2001 and intermittently throughout the mid-2000s under the ...
and
Rikishi
A , or, more colloquially, , is a professional sumo wrestler. follow and live by the centuries-old rules of the sumo profession, with most coming from Japan, the only country where sumo is practiced professionally. Participation in official t ...
at the Knokx Pro Wrestling Academy.
Barnyashev debuted in the
San Diego, California
San Diego ( , ; ) is a city on the Pacific Ocean coast of Southern California located immediately adjacent to the Mexico–United States border. With a 2020 population of 1,386,932, it is the eighth most populous city in the United Stat ...
-based
independent
Independent or Independents may refer to:
Arts, entertainment, and media Artist groups
* Independents (artist group), a group of modernist painters based in the New Hope, Pennsylvania, area of the United States during the early 1930s
* Independe ...
promotion New Wave Pro Wrestling on November 22, 2008, under the
ring name
A ring name is a type of stage name used by an athlete such as a professional wrestler, mixed martial artist, or boxer whose real name is considered unattractive, dull, difficult to pronounce or spell, amusing for the wrong reasons, or project ...
Miroslav Makaraov, defeating Aerial Star.
In 2010, Barnyashev joined the
Santa Maria, California
Santa Maria (Spanish for "St. Mary") is a city near the Central Coast of California in northern Santa Barbara County. It is approximately northwest of Santa Barbara and northwest of downtown Los Angeles. Its population was 109,707 at the 202 ...
-based independent promotion Vendetta Pro Wrestling (VPW), shortening his ring name to Miroslav. While wrestling for VPW, he was
managed by Markus Mac.
World Wrestling Entertainment / WWE
Developmental territories (2010–2014)
In September 2010, Barnyashev was signed to a contract by
World Wrestling Entertainment
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and var ...
(WWE).
He was assigned to WWE's
Florida Championship Wrestling
Florida Championship Wrestling (FCW) was a professional wrestling promotion based on the former National Wrestling Alliance member promotion, Championship Wrestling from Florida, which operated from 1961 until 1987. From October 2007 to August ...
(FCW)
developmental territory
In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team, feeder club, or nursery club is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a highe ...
in
Tampa, Florida
Tampa () is a city on the Gulf Coast of the U.S. state of Florida. The city's borders include the north shore of Tampa Bay and the east shore of Old Tampa Bay. Tampa is the largest city in the Tampa Bay area and the seat of Hillsborough ...
, where he adopted the ring name Alexander Rusev.
He wrestled his first televised match on the July 17, 2011, episode of ''FCW'', defeating
Mike Dalton while being managed by
Raquel Diaz.
Shortly after debuting in FCW, Rusev tore both his
anterior cruciate ligament
The anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) is one of a pair of cruciate ligaments (the other being the posterior cruciate ligament) in the human knee. The two ligaments are also called "cruciform" ligaments, as they are arranged in a crossed formati ...
and his
meniscus and spent six months rehabilitating.
Rusev returned to FCW in March 2012 with Nick Rogers as his manager.
In the summer of 2012, Rusev suffered a
broken neck, temporarily
paralyzing his arm. While rehabilitating, Barnyashev travelled to
Thailand
Thailand ( ), historically known as Siam () and officially the Kingdom of Thailand, is a country in Southeast Asia, located at the centre of the Indochinese Peninsula, spanning , with a population of almost 70 million. The country is b ...
, where he studied the
martial art Muay Thai
Muay Thai ( th, มวยไทย, , ), sometimes referred to as Thai boxing, is a combat sport that uses stand-up striking along with various clinching techniques. This discipline is known as the "art of eight limbs", as it is characterise ...
.
In August 2012, WWE
rebranded
Rebranding is a marketing strategy in which a new name, term, symbol, design, concept or combination thereof is created for an established brand with the intention of developing a new, differentiated identity in the minds of consumers, investor ...
FCW as
NXT
NXT may refer to:
Professional wrestling
* ''WWE NXT'', a professional wrestling television program produced by WWE that began in 2010
** NXT (WWE brand), WWE's Florida-based brand and former developmental territory
* ''NXT UK'', the British spin- ...
.
After his neck healed, Rusev made his ''
NXT
NXT may refer to:
Professional wrestling
* ''WWE NXT'', a professional wrestling television program produced by WWE that began in 2010
** NXT (WWE brand), WWE's Florida-based brand and former developmental territory
* ''NXT UK'', the British spin- ...
'' television debut on the May 30, 2013, episode, competing in a
battle royal to determine the number one contender to the
NXT Championship
The NXT Championship is a professional wrestling championship created and promoted by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE. It is defended as the top championship of the NXT brand division, the promotion's developmental territory. ...
that was won by
Bo Dallas
Taylor Michael Rotunda (born May 25, 1990) is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his tenure in WWE, where he performed under the ring name Bo Dallas. Rotunda is a third-generation professional wrestler; his grandfather Blac ...
.
Rusev wrestled his first singles match on the August 21 edition of ''NXT'', losing to
Dolph Ziggler.
Shortly thereafter, Rusev adopted
Sylvester Lefort as his manager and formed a short-lived
tag team
Tag team wrestling is a type of professional wrestling in which matches are contested between teams of multiple wrestlers. Tag teams may be made up of wrestlers who normally wrestle in singles competition, but more commonly are made of establish ...
with
Scott Dawson named "The Fighting Legionnaires"; they
feuded with the team of
Enzo Amore and Colin Cassady
FreeAgentZ (formerly known as Enzo and Cass) are an American professional wrestling tag team composed of nZo and CaZXL. The duo are best known for their tenure with WWE, from 2013 to 2017, under the respective ring names, Enzo Amore and Big Cas ...
.
On the October 30 episode of ''NXT'', Rusev ended his affiliation with Lefort by attacking him during a tag team bout.
Rusev proceeded to adopt
Lana as his "
social ambassador",
a pairing compared by WWE to
Ivan and Ludmilla Drago from the
1985 film ''
Rocky IV''.
In matches taped before his main roster debut, Rusev defeated main roster wrestlers
Kofi Kingston,
Xavier Woods
Austin Watson (born September 4, 1986) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand under the ring name Xavier Woods. He appeared on WWE's NXT brand as one-half of the current NXT Tag ...
, and
Sin Cara
In a religious context, sin is a transgression against divine law. Each culture has its own interpretation of what it means to commit a sin. While sins are generally considered actions, any thought, word, or act considered immoral, selfish, ...
in singles matches, which aired on ''NXT'' in January and February.
Rusev continued to appear sporadically on ''NXT'' after joining the main roster in April 2014, making his final appearance on July 24, getting disqualified against
NXT Champion Adrian Neville in a non-title match.
United States Champion (2014–2015)
Rusev made his main roster debut at the
Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming List of WWE pay-per-view and WWE Network events, event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. It is named afte ...
on January 26, 2014, where he was the sixth entrant in the
Royal Rumble match, where he was eliminated by the joint effort of four other wrestlers.
After months of self-promotional videos and speeches by Rusev and his manager Lana, Rusev's return match on the main roster came on the April 7 episode of ''
Raw'', where he
squashed Zack Ryder. In May, Rusev adopted a
Russophillic,
anti-American
Anti-Americanism (also called anti-American sentiment) is prejudice, fear, or hatred of the United States, its government, its foreign policy, or Americans in general.
Political scientist Brendon O'Connor at the United States Studies Centr ...
gimmick that saw him announced as having relocated to Russia,
and as having been named "
Hero of the Russian Federation
Hero of the Russian Federation (russian: Герой Российской Федерации, Geroy Rossiyskoy Federatsii), also unofficially Hero of Russia (russian: link=no, Герой России, Geroy Rossii), is the highest honorary title ...
".
This angle brought Barnyashev much
legitimate heat in his native Bulgaria. In the same month, his ring name was shortened to simply Rusev.
Over the next several months, Rusev feuded with
Xavier Woods
Austin Watson (born September 4, 1986) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the NXT brand under the ring name Xavier Woods. He appeared on WWE's NXT brand as one-half of the current NXT Tag ...
and
R-Truth (whom Rusev defeated at
Extreme Rules in a two-on-one handicap match) and
Big E (whom he defeated at
Payback and at
Money in the Bank),
Jack Swagger (whom he defeated at
Battleground and again at
SummerSlam),
Mark Henry
Mark Jerrold Henry (born June 12, 1971) is an American former powerlifter, Olympic weightlifter, strongman, and professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) as a commentator/analyst, coach, and talent scout. He is b ...
(whom he defeated at
Night of Champions
Night (also described as night time, unconventionally spelled as "nite") is the period of ambient darkness from sunset to sunrise during each 24-hour day, when the Sun is below the horizon. The exact time when night begins and ends depends on ...
) and
Big Show
Paul Donald Wight II (born February 8, 1972) is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) as an in-ring performer, and as a commentator for its web television show, '' AEW Dark: Elevation,'' under ...
(whom he defeated at
Hell in a Cell
Hell in a Cell is a professional wrestling steel cage-based match which originated in 1997 in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It features a large cell structure, a five-sided cuboid made from open-weave steel mesh chain-link fen ...
). Lana dedicated Rusev's string of victories to
President of Russia
The president of the Russian Federation ( rus, Президент Российской Федерации, Prezident Rossiyskoy Federatsii) is the head of state of the Russian Federation. The president leads the executive branch of the federa ...
Vladimir Putin
Vladimir Vladimirovich Putin; (born 7 October 1952) is a Russian politician and former intelligence officer who holds the office of president of Russia. Putin has served continuously as president or prime minister since 1999: as prime min ...
, drawing attention from the mainstream press – including ''
The Washington Post
''The Washington Post'' (also known as the ''Post'' and, informally, ''WaPo'') is an American daily newspaper published in Washington, D.C. It is the most widely circulated newspaper within the Washington metropolitan area and has a large n ...
'' and ''
The Daily Beast
''The Daily Beast'' is an American news website focused on politics, media, and pop culture. It was founded in 2008.
It has been characterized as a "high-end tabloid" by Noah Shachtman, the site's editor-in-chief from 2018 to 2021. In a 20 ...
'' – and criticism after she was interpreted as having referred to the crash of
Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 before Rusev's match at Battleground in an attempt to generate
heat
In thermodynamics, heat is defined as the form of energy crossing the boundary of a thermodynamic system by virtue of a temperature difference across the boundary. A thermodynamic system does not ''contain'' heat. Nevertheless, the term is ...
.
On the October 6 episode of ''Raw'', Rusev and Lana were confronted by
The Rock in a surprise appearance, with The Rock driving Rusev from the ring after a verbal exchange.
On November 3, Rusev gained his first professional wrestling championship and became the first Bulgarian-born champion in WWE history when he won the
United States Championship from
Sheamus
Stephen Farrelly (born 28 January 1978) is an Irish professional wrestler and actor. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Sheamus.
Prior to joining WWE, he wrestled on the European i ...
in a post-''Raw'' match that aired on the
WWE Network
WWE Network is a subscription video on-demand over-the-top streaming service and digital television
Digital television (DTV) is the transmission of television signals using digital encoding, in contrast to the earlier analog television t ...
and proceeded to defeat him in a rematch via count-out. At
Survivor Series, Rusev competed in a 10-man
Survivor Series match as part of
Team Authority but he was eliminated from the match by
countout
Professional wrestling is a form of theater that revolves around staged wrestling matches. The mock combat is performed in a ring similar to the kind used in boxing, and the dramatic aspects of pro wrestling may be performed both in the ring or ...
.
Rusev and Jack Swagger once again feuded in December, leading to Rusev successfully defending the United States Championship against Swagger at
TLC. At the
Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming List of WWE pay-per-view and WWE Network events, event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. It is named afte ...
, Rusev entered the Rumble match at number 15, eliminating six other contestants and placing second overall. At
Fastlane, Rusev successfully defended the United States Championship in a bout with
John Cena
John Felix Anthony Cena ( ; born April 23, 1977) is an American part-time professional wrestler, actor, and former rapper. He is currently signed to WWE. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, he is tied ...
. Rusev lost the United States Championship to Cena in a rematch at
WrestleMania 31
WrestleMania 31 was the 31st annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view and livestreaming event produced by WWE. It took place on March 29, 2015, at Levi's Stadium in the San Francisco Bay Area town of Santa Clara, California. Nine ...
after a miscommunication with Lana, ending his reign at 146 days and marking his first pinfall loss on WWE's main roster.
Love triangle and The League of Nations (2015–2016)
Rusev failed to regain the championship the following month at
Extreme Rules in a
Russian Chain match; during the match, Lana garnered a positive reaction from the crowd, leading to Rusev banishing her from ringside and causing dissension between the two. Rusev lost to Cena once more at
Payback on May 17, 2015, in an
"I Quit" match after Lana conceded the match on his behalf. The three pay-per-view losses in a row irreversibly damaged the air of power Rusev had built up, leading to TheSportster labeling it as a
burial
Burial, also known as interment or inhumation, is a method of final disposition whereby a dead body is placed into the ground, sometimes with objects. This is usually accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing the deceased and objec ...
. On the post-Payback episode of ''Raw'' on May 18, 2015, Rusev ended his affiliation with Lana, who slapped him in response.
On the May 25 episode of ''Raw'', Rusev reverted to being billed from Bulgaria and began carrying the
flag of Bulgaria to ringside. Later that same evening, Rusev unsuccessfully attempted to reconcile with Lana. Three days later on ''
SmackDown'', Rusev suffered a
fractured foot in a bout with
Ryback
Ryback Allen Reeves (né Ryan; born November 10, 1981) is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time in WWE where he performed under the ring name Ryback.
One of the eight finalists on WWE's '' Tough Enough 4'', Reeves l ...
, rendering him unable to compete in the
Elimination Chamber match for the vacant
Intercontinental Championship at
Elimination Chamber. Despite his injury, Rusev still appeared on television and made further attempts to reconcile with Lana. Lana then began a storyline relationship with
Dolph Ziggler, while
Summer Rae began an alliance with Rusev. On the June 29 episode of ''Raw'', Rusev and Rae confronted Lana and Ziggler, leading to a fight between Rae and Lana. On the July 6 episode of ''Raw'', Rusev and Rae once again confronted the couple, which turned out to be a ruse, as Rusev viciously attacked Ziggler after hitting him with his crutch and removed his ankle brace, revealing that his foot injury had healed. The attack resulted in Ziggler sustaining a bruised trachea in storyline and out of action indefinitely.
Rusev made his in-ring return on the following ''SmackDown'', wrestling in shoes to avoid further foot injury, defeating
Fandango. On the July 13 episode of ''Raw'', Rusev answered
John Cena
John Felix Anthony Cena ( ; born April 23, 1977) is an American part-time professional wrestler, actor, and former rapper. He is currently signed to WWE. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, he is tied ...
's
United States Championship open challenge. Rusev was then interrupted by both
Kevin Owens and
Cesaro, who also demanded a shot at the title. This resulted in a triple threat match, where the winner would face Cena, which Rusev won after pinning Cesaro, as Owens had left the match early on. Afterwards, Rusev defeated Cena by disqualification, when Owens assaulted Rusev. On the July 16 episode of SmackDown, Rusev suffered his second loss by pinfall during his tenure on the WWE main roster when he was defeated by Cesaro in a singles match. On the August 17 episode of ''Raw'', Ziggler returned and attacked Rusev. This altercation prompted a match between Rusev and Ziggler at
SummerSlam, which ended in a double countout due to interference from Lana and Rae, and after the match, Rusev and Rae brawled with Ziggler and Lana. On the October 5 episode of ''Raw'', Rae
proposed to Rusev in the storyline, but said he would not marry her until he had won another championship. On October 11,
TMZ reported that Rusev had become engaged to Lana in
real life
Real life is a phrase used originally in literature to distinguish between the real world and fictional, virtual or idealized worlds, and in acting to distinguish between actors and the characters they portray. It has become a popular term on the ...
.
Lana then confirmed the engagement and it began being used in the storyline on television, which resulted in Rae breaking up with him on the October 12 episode of ''Raw''. The entire storyline circulating around the break-up of Rusev and Lana received extremely negative reviews, with many claiming the storyline damaged Rusev's
gimmick
A gimmick is a novel device or idea designed primarily to attract attention or increase appeal, often with little intrinsic value. When applied to retail marketing, it is a unique or quirky feature designed to make a product or service "stand ou ...
. On the October 31 episode of ''Main Event'', Rusev injured his bicep in a match with Neville, resulting in Neville winning the match via referee stoppage and Rusev being out of action.
Rusev returned on the November 23 episode of ''Raw'', when he attacked
Roman Reigns
Leati Joseph "Joe" Anoa'i (born May 25, 1985) is an American professional wrestler and former football player. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Roman Reigns. He is the leader of The B ...
, and lost to him by disqualification after
Sheamus
Stephen Farrelly (born 28 January 1978) is an Irish professional wrestler and actor. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Sheamus.
Prior to joining WWE, he wrestled on the European i ...
and
King Barrett
Stuart Alexander Bennett (born 10 August 1980) is an English-American professional wrestling commentator, actor, and former professional wrestler who holds both British and American citizenship. He is currently signed to WWE, where he is a colo ...
attacked Reigns. A week later, on November 30 episode of ''Raw'',
Lana returned to the WWE, once again as a
villainess, and reconciled with Rusev, during a ''
Miz TV'' segment, and later in the same night, the two joined Sheamus' new stable
The League of Nations.
Throughout December, Rusev started a feud with
Ryback
Ryback Allen Reeves (né Ryan; born November 10, 1981) is an American professional wrestler. He is best known for his time in WWE where he performed under the ring name Ryback.
One of the eight finalists on WWE's '' Tough Enough 4'', Reeves l ...
, with Lana faking injuries to distract Ryback and help Rusev gain advantage. At
TLC, Rusev defeated Ryback by technical submission to end the feud. Also in November, Rusev joined forces with Sheamus, King Barrett and
Alberto Del Rio
José Alberto Rodríguez Chucuan (born 25 May 1977) is a Mexican-American professional wrestler, professional wrestling promoter, sports commentator, and mixed martial artist, currently signed to the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) as a c ...
forming The League of Nations.
The faction aligned themselves with
Mr. McMahon
Vincent Kennedy McMahon (; born August 24, 1945) is an American media proprietor and retired professional wrestling promoter, executive, and performer. From 1982 to 2022, he served as the chairman and chief executive officer (CEO) of WWE, the w ...
and would continue to target
WWE World Heavyweight Champion
The WWE Championship is a world heavyweight championship created and promoted by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE, representing the Raw brand division. It is one of two world titles on WWE's main roster, alongside SmackDown' ...
Roman Reigns. Rusev would enter the
Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming List of WWE pay-per-view and WWE Network events, event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. It is named afte ...
match at the No. 2 spot, but he would be eliminated by Roman Reigns in one and a half minutes. On the March 14 episode of ''Raw'', Rusev and Del Rio failed to win the
WWE Tag Team Championship
WWE (formerly the WWF, the WWWF, and Capitol Wrestling) has maintained at least one primary tag team championship for its male performers since 1958 (except for a two year interim between 1967 and 1969). During periods of brand division, separat ...
from
The New Day. At
WrestleMania 32
WrestleMania 32 was the 32nd annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view and livestreaming event produced by WWE. It took place on April 3, 2016, at the AT&T Stadium in the Dallas suburb of Arlington, Texas. This was the last Wre ...
, The League of Nations defeated
The New Day, but after the match, The League of Nations was attacked by
Mick Foley
Michael Francis Foley (born June 7, 1965) is an American actor, author, retired professional wrestler, and color commentator. He is currently signed to WWE under the company's Legends program, acting as a company ambassador.
Foley worked for m ...
,
Shawn Michaels
Michael Shawn Hickenbottom (born July 22, 1965), better known by his ring name Shawn Michaels, is an American retired professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE as Senior Vice President of Talent Development Creative. Widely regarded as one ...
and
Stone Cold Steve Austin
Steve Austin (born Steven James Anderson; December 18, 1964), better known by his ring name "Stone Cold" Steve Austin, is an American media personality, actor, and retired professional wrestler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest and most ...
.
Following WrestleMania 32, on the April 4 episode of ''Raw'', League of Nations members Sheamus and King Barrett were part of a losing effort against The New Day for the WWE Tag Team Championship after Barrett was pinned by
Kofi Kingston, and following the match, Barrett was exiled from the group being called the "weak link", but moments after,
The Wyatt Family went on to attack the remaining members of The League of Nations. On the April 28 episode of ''SmackDown'', Rusev walked out on Sheamus after Del Rio walked out the both of them, thus disbanding The League of Nations.
Various storylines and alliances (2016–2017)
On the May 2 episode of ''Raw'', Rusev won a battle royal by last eliminating
Zack Ryder to become the No. 1 contender for the United States Championship, which he won for the second time by defeating
Kalisto at
Extreme Rules via submission.
Rusev defeated him in a rematch on the following week's ''SmackDown'', after which he was confronted by
Titus O'Neil, whom Rusev defeated at
Money in the Bank to successfully retain the title. Rusev followed this with a successful third title defense against Cesaro and defeated O'Neil on the July 4 episode of ''Raw'' to retain the title. Rusev was then challenged by Zack Ryder, whom he defeated at
Battleground for another successful title defense. In the
2016 WWE draft
Sixteen or 16 may refer to:
*16 (number), the natural number following 15 and preceding 17
*one of the years 16 BC, AD 16, 1916, 2016
Films
* ''Pathinaaru'' or ''Sixteen'', a 2010 Tamil film
* ''Sixteen'' (1943 film), a 1943 Argentine film ...
, Rusev, along with Lana, was drafted to Raw, taking the United States Championship with him. On the August 1 episode of ''Raw'', after Rusev defeated
Mark Henry
Mark Jerrold Henry (born June 12, 1971) is an American former powerlifter, Olympic weightlifter, strongman, and professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) as a commentator/analyst, coach, and talent scout. He is b ...
to retain the title, Roman Reigns came out to confront Rusev. The following week on ''Raw'', Reigns interrupted Rusev and
Lana's wedding re-enactment, and issued a challenge to Rusev for the title. Rusev declined, and the two brawled, causing Lana to fall into a wedding cake. Backstage, Mick Foley told an angered Lana and Rusev that Rusev would defend the United States title against Reigns at
SummerSlam. Later that night, Rusev successfully defended the title in an impromptu match against
Cesaro, who felt that he should also have a shot at the title. At SummerSlam, the match did not start after Rusev attacked Reigns before the bell rung and the two brawled outside of the ring, with Rusev suffering kayfabe injured ribs.
After costing Reigns the opportunity of becoming a No. 1 contender for the
Universal Championship, Rusev defended the United States Championship against Reigns in a match at
Clash of Champions
''Clash of the Champions'' is an American series of professional wrestling television specials that were produced by World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) in conjunction with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). T ...
, which he lost, ending his reign at 126 days.
Rusev would then get his rematch at the
Hell in a Cell
Hell in a Cell is a professional wrestling steel cage-based match which originated in 1997 in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It features a large cell structure, a five-sided cuboid made from open-weave steel mesh chain-link fen ...
pay-per-view in a Hell in a Cell match, which he would be unsuccessful.
On the November 21 episode of ''Raw'', after being locked out of his locker room,
Enzo Amore would run into Lana in the hallway before being angrily confronted by Rusev. Rusev would challenge Amore to a match later that night, quickly defeating him. The following week on ''Raw'', Amore would defeat Rusev by disqualification. At
Roadblock: End of the Line, Rusev would face Amore's tag partner,
Big Cass, defeating him by countout. The following night on ''Raw'', Rusev would face Cass again, this time defeating him by disqualification. That same night, Amore would have to attend sensitivity training from the incident on the November 21 episode of ''Raw''. At the training, Amore would be attacked by Rusev and his new ally,
Jinder Mahal
Yuvraj Singh Dhesi (born July 19, 1986) is a Canadian professional wrestler currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand, under the ring name Jinder Mahal.
Having started his career on the independent circuit, Mahal joine ...
. On the January 2, 2017 episode of ''Raw'', Rusev teamed with Mahal in a 2-on-1 handicap match, defeating Big Cass. At
Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming List of WWE pay-per-view and WWE Network events, event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. It is named afte ...
, Rusev would enter the Rumble match at number eighteen, lasting over 20 minutes before being eliminated by Goldberg. On the February 27 episode of ''Raw'', Rusev and Mahal began to show tension after Rusev inadvertently distracted Mahal, causing the two to lose to The New Day. At
Fastlane, general manager
Mick Foley
Michael Francis Foley (born June 7, 1965) is an American actor, author, retired professional wrestler, and color commentator. He is currently signed to WWE under the company's Legends program, acting as a company ambassador.
Foley worked for m ...
placed Rusev and Mahal in singles matches that night after Mahal revealed his desire to return to singles competition. Rusev and Mahal both lost their respective matches against
Big Show
Paul Donald Wight II (born February 8, 1972) is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) as an in-ring performer, and as a commentator for its web television show, '' AEW Dark: Elevation,'' under ...
and
Cesaro. Both Rusev and Lana disappeared from television following Rusev requiring surgery for an injury.
Rusev Day (2017–2018)
On April 11, Rusev was moved to
SmackDown brand as part of the
Superstar Shake-up. On the April 25 episode of ''SmackDown'', Rusev made his first appearance on WWE programming since Fastlane, appearing via satellite, and declared that he would not make his debut on SmackDown unless he was given a
WWE Championship
The WWE Championship is a World championship (professional wrestling), world heavyweight championship created and promoted by the American professional wrestling promotion WWE, representing the Raw (WWE brand), Raw WWE brand extension, brand di ...
match at the
Money in the Bank pay-per-view on June 18. He was not granted his request, but on the July 4 episode of ''SmackDown'', he made his first appearance for the brand and confronted the returning
John Cena
John Felix Anthony Cena ( ; born April 23, 1977) is an American part-time professional wrestler, actor, and former rapper. He is currently signed to WWE. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, he is tied ...
, setting up a
flag match for
Battleground,
which he lost.
In August, Rusev started a feud with
Randy Orton
Randal Keith Orton (born April 1, 1980) is an American professional wrestler and actor who is signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand but is currently out of action due to a back injury. He is widely regarded as one of the grea ...
and was defeated by Orton at
SummerSlam in 10 seconds. On the September 19 episode of ''SmackDown'', Rusev got his revenge on Orton by defeating him in the same time, after a distraction from
Aiden English
Matthew Thomas Rehwoldt (born October 7, 1987) is an American color commentator and retired professional wrestler who currently appears in Impact Wrestling where he performs under his real name. He is best known for his time in WWE, where he per ...
.
Soon after, Rusev assumed a new character where he would proclaim that every day was "Rusev Day". This act would become incredibly popular with the fans, despite the fact that Rusev played a villainous character.
At
Hell in a Cell
Hell in a Cell is a professional wrestling steel cage-based match which originated in 1997 in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It features a large cell structure, a five-sided cuboid made from open-weave steel mesh chain-link fen ...
on October 9, Rusev lost to Orton again, thus ending their feud.
After his feud with Orton, Rusev began a team with English, with the two participating in a
fatal four-way tag team match for the
SmackDown Tag Team Championship at
Clash of Champions
''Clash of the Champions'' is an American series of professional wrestling television specials that were produced by World Championship Wrestling (WCW) and Jim Crockett Promotions (JCP) in conjunction with the National Wrestling Alliance (NWA). T ...
in December also involving The New Day,
Chad Gable and
Shelton Benjamin
Shelton James Benjamin (born July 9, 1975) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand under his real name.
He is also known for his work in New Japan Pro-Wrestling (NJPW) and Pro Wres ...
and the champions
The Usos, which The Usos won. Rusev entered the
2018 Royal Rumble match on January 28 as the first entrant, lasting over 30 minutes before being eliminated by
Bray Wyatt
Windham Lawrence Rotunda (born May 23, 1987) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Bray Wyatt.
Rotunda is a third-generation professional wrestler, fo ...
and
Matt Hardy. On the March 27 episode of ''SmackDown'', Rusev teamed with Jinder Mahal to defeat
Bobby Roode
Robert Francis Roode Jr. (born May 11, 1976) is a Canadian professional wrestler signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand. He is currently inactive due to undergoing neck surgery.
Roode is known for his 12-year tenure for Total Nonst ...
and Randy Orton, adding him to the United States Championship match at
WrestleMania 34. At the event, Rusev was pinned by Mahal, losing the match. At the
Greatest Royal Rumble event, he faced
The Undertaker
Mark William Calaway (born March 24, 1965), better known by the ring name The Undertaker, is an American retired professional wrestler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest professional wrestlers of all time, Calaway spent the vast majorit ...
in a
Casket Match, but lost. On the May 8 episode of ''SmackDown'', Rusev defeated
Daniel Bryan to qualify for the men's
Money in the Bank ladder match
The Money in the Bank ladder match is a multi-person ladder match held by the professional wrestling promotion WWE. First contested at WWE's annual WrestleMania event beginning in 2005, a separate Money in the Bank pay-per-view was establish ...
at
Money in the Bank, which was won by
Braun Strowman
Adam Joseph Scherr (born September 6, 1983) is an American professional wrestler and former strongman. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Braun Strowman.
In WWE, he is a one-time U ...
. On the following episode of ''SmackDown'', he won a
gauntlet match to become the number one contender for
AJ Styles
Allen Neal Jones (born June 2, 1977), better known by his ring name AJ Styles (also stylized as A.J. Styles), is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to WWE, where he performs on the Raw brand. Regarded as one of the best ...
' WWE Championship at
Extreme Rules.
At the event, he was defeated by Styles.
In July, Rusev Day started a feud with
Andrade "Cien" Almas and
Zelina Vega
Thea Megan Trinidad Büdgen (born December 27, 1990) is an American professional wrestler and actress. She is currently signed to WWE, where she performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Zelina Vega, and is a member of Legado Del Fan ...
, thus turning them
face
The face is the front of an animal's head that features the eyes, nose and mouth, and through which animals express many of their emotions. The face is crucial for human identity, and damage such as scarring or developmental deformities may aff ...
in the process for the first time in his career. Rusev and Lana lost a
mixed tag team match to Almas and Vega at
SummerSlam but defeated them in a rematch on the August 21 episode of ''SmackDown''. At
Hell in a Cell
Hell in a Cell is a professional wrestling steel cage-based match which originated in 1997 in the World Wrestling Federation (WWF, now WWE). It features a large cell structure, a five-sided cuboid made from open-weave steel mesh chain-link fen ...
, Rusev and English unsuccessfully faced The New Day for the SmackDown Tag Team Championship. On the following episode of ''SmackDown'', English attacked Rusev, ending their alliance. English would later claim to have had an affair with Lana, leading to a match on the October 23 episode of ''SmackDown'', where Rusev defeated English, ending their feud.
Final storylines and departure (2018–2020)
After failing to win the United States Championship from Shinsuke Nakamura at
Crown Jewel, Rusev finally managed to capture the United States Championship for a third time in his career on the December 25 episode of ''SmackDown Live''. On January 27, 2019, he lost the title back to Nakamura on the
Royal Rumble
The Royal Rumble is a professional wrestling pay-per-view (PPV) and livestreaming List of WWE pay-per-view and WWE Network events, event, produced annually since 1988 by WWE, the world's largest professional wrestling promotion. It is named afte ...
pre-show. Two days later on ''SmackDown Live'', Rusev confronted
R-Truth, who had just defeated Nakamura for the United States Championship, and pushed him into defending his newly won title against him, but Truth retained his title. After the match, Nakamura attacked Truth, and Rusev joined him in attacking Truth, thus turning
heel
The heel is the prominence at the posterior end of the foot. It is based on the projection of one bone, the calcaneus or heel bone, behind the articulation of the bones of the lower leg.
Structure
To distribute the compressive forces exer ...
again in the process and later forming a tag team with Nakamura. On the
Fastlane pre-show, Rusev and Nakamura were defeated by
The New Day. At
WrestleMania 35
WrestleMania 35 was the 35th annual WrestleMania professional wrestling pay-per-view and livestreaming event produced by WWE. It was held for wrestlers from the promotion's Raw, SmackDown, and 205 Live brand divisions. The event took place ...
, Nakamura and Rusev would compete in a
fatal four-way tag team match for the
SmackDown Tag Team Championship, but were unsuccessful. Rusev competed in a 51-man battle royal at
Super ShowDown, but failed to win.
Following Super ShowDown, Rusev began a sabbatical from WWE.
Rusev returned on the September 16 episode of ''Raw'' as a face
and was involved in a storyline where Lana was having an affair with
Bobby Lashley.
Seeking answers for Lana's infidelity, she would accuse Rusev of being a controlling
sex addict, leading to the two divorcing on the December 9 episode of ''Raw'', during which Rusev was attacked by Lashley. At the
TLC: Tables, Ladders & Chairs pay-per-view event on December 15, Rusev lost to Lashley in a
tables match
Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "concept" or " gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick matches are more common than others and are often used to advance or conclude a ...
, following interference from Lana. On the January 13, 2020 episode of ''Raw'', Rusev lost to Lashley again following an interference from Lana and
Liv Morgan
Gionna Jene Daddio (born June 8, 1994) is an American professional wrestler and actress. She is currently signed to WWE, where she performs on the SmackDown brand under the ring name Liv Morgan. She is a former SmackDown Women's Champion.
In ...
, after the match, a mixed tag team match was scheduled between teams of Rusev and Morgan, and Lashley and Lana. The mixed tag team of Rusev and Morgan was defeated by Lashley and Lana in the January 20 episode of ''Raw''. Rusev teamed with
Humberto Carrillo in a loss to Lashley and
Angel Garza on the February 17 episode of ''Raw''.
This would be Rusev's final appearance in WWE, as on April 15, he was released from his WWE contract as part of budget cuts stemming from the
COVID-19 pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
. His real life wife Lana, however, remained with WWE until she was also released over a year later in June 2021.
All Elite Wrestling
Alliance with Kip Sabian (2020–2021)
Barnyashev, now known as Miro (which he originally used on
Twitch and is shortened from his real name of Miroslav), debuted in
All Elite Wrestling
All Elite Wrestling (AEW) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Jacksonville, Florida. It is considered the second largest wrestling promotion in the United States behind WWE.
AEW is owned by Shahid Khan and his son Tony, ...
(AEW) on the September 9, 2020 episode of ''
Dynamite
Dynamite is an explosive made of nitroglycerin, sorbents (such as powdered shells or clay), and stabilizers. It was invented by the Swedish chemist and engineer Alfred Nobel in Geesthacht, Northern Germany, and patented in 1867. It rapidl ...
'', where he was revealed as
Kip Sabian
Simon James Kippen (born 19 May 1992), better known by the ring name Kip Sabian, is an English professional wrestler. He is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW).
Early life
Simon James Kippen was born in Great Yarmouth on 19 May 1992.
...
's
best man for his upcoming wedding with
Penelope Ford. Miro also took on the moniker of "The Best Man", claiming that he was the best at everything he does.
On the September 23 episode of ''Dynamite'', Miro made his in-ring debut, teaming with Sabian to defeat
Joey Janela and
Sonny Kiss.
In October, Miro and Sabian began feuding with
Best Friends (
Chuck Taylor,
Trent, and
Orange Cassidy), after they accidentally destroyed the arcade game that Miro had purchased for Sabian as a wedding gift.
On the November 4 episode of ''Dynamite'', Miro had his first singles match in AEW, in which he defeated Trent. At the
Beach Break event on February 3, 2021, Miro officiated Sabian and Ford's wedding, but the ceremony was crashed by Taylor and Cassidy.
At the
Revolution
In political science, a revolution (Latin: ''revolutio'', "a turn around") is a fundamental and relatively sudden change in political power and political organization which occurs when the population revolts against the government, typically due ...
pay-per-view on March 7, Miro and Sabian defeated Cassidy and Taylor.
However, on the March 31 episode of ''Dynamite'', Miro and Sabian were defeated by Cassidy and Taylor in an
Arcade Anarchy match
Many types of wrestling matches, sometimes called "concept" or " gimmick matches" in the jargon of the business, are performed in professional wrestling. Some gimmick matches are more common than others and are often used to advance or conclude a ...
, marking Miro's first loss in AEW. Following this, Miro attacked and brutalized Sabian to end their alliance. Miro then became more dominant and aggressive in his matches.
TNT Champion (2021–present)
Miro then began a rivalry with
Darby Allin
Samuel Ratsch (born January 7, 1993), better known by the ring name Darby Allin, is an American professional wrestler signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he is a former and longest-reigning AEW TNT Champion. He is also known for his appe ...
, and defeated Allin on the May 12 episode of ''Dynamite'' to win the
AEW TNT Championship.
He defeated
Lance Archer to retain the championship at the
Double or Nothing
Double or nothing (UK often double or quits) is a gamble to decide whether a loss or debt should be doubled. The result of a "double or nothing" bet is either the subject doubled to twice the amount as the original ''or'' the doubling of a debt. It ...
event on May 30.
He then made successful defenses against the likes of
Evil Uno,
Brian Pillman Jr.
Brian Zachary Pillman (born September 9, 1993), better known by the ring name Brian Pillman Jr., is an American professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW). He is also known for his time in Major League Wrestling (MLW). Pil ...
, Lee Johnson,
Fuego Del Sol, and at
All Out against
Eddie Kingston
Edward Moore (born December 12, 1981), better known by his ring name Eddie Kingston, is an American professional wrestler currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW).
Kingston started his wrestling career in 2002, and has wrestled for numerou ...
.
During this time, Miro furthered his shift in gimmick by adopting the moniker of "God's Favorite Champion", utilising new entrance music, and thanking his dominance in matches to his God during interviews and promos. He also introduced a new championship belt, representing his hometown of Plovdiv; the black leather strap was changed to white, the red banner on the center plate was changed to green, and the inner side plates were changed to feature Plovdiv's coat of arms.
On September 29, Miro lost his TNT Championship against
Sammy Guevara, ending his reign at 140 days. In subsequent promos, Miro would aggressively question the motivation of his God.
On the November 3, 2021, episode of ''Dynamite'', Miro substituted for
Jon Moxley
Jonathan David Good (born December 7, 1985) is an American professional wrestler and actor. He is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he performs under the ring name Jon Moxley. He also makes appearances for New Japan Pro- ...
against Orange Cassidy in the
AEW World Championship Eliminator Tournament; he defeated Cassidy via submission, advancing to the finals of the tournament.
At
Full Gear, Miro lost to
Bryan Danielson
Bryan Lloyd Danielson (born May 22, 1981) is an American professional wrestler. He is currently signed to All Elite Wrestling (AEW), where he is a member of the Blackpool Combat Club. He is also known for his time in WWE, where he worked fro ...
in the tournament final.
In December, it was revealed that Miro was recovering from a hamstring injury. After a six-month hiatus due to injury and outside the ring projects, Miro made his return to AEW television on the June 1, 2022, edition of ''Dynamite'', scoring a submission victory over
Johnny Elite.
Professional wrestling style and persona
Early in his career, Barnyashev's finishing move was the ''Bulplex'', an
Oklahoma roll
In wrestling, a pin is achieved by holding an opponent's shoulders to the mat for a three count. Pinfall is the term used in professional wrestling which is a way to win the match for that person or team.
Background
A pinfall is a victory condi ...
transitioned into a
release German suplex.
Beginning in 2013, he began using ''The Accolade'' (a
camel clutch);
[ upon moving to AEW in 2020, he changed the name of the move to ''Game Over'' and modified the move to stretch the victim entirely back whilst in the hold. In 2014, he introduced the ''Machka Kick'', a jumping savate kick.]
For the early part of his career, Barnyashev portrayed a villainous foreigner billed from Bulgaria or Russia. He nicknamed himself "The Bashing Bulgarian" and "The Bulgarian Brute"[ and, for a period of time, used the Bulgarian national anthem as his entrance theme.] From 2017, he began portraying a more heroic character who declared every day to be a public holiday called "Rusev Day".
Upon debuting in AEW in 2020, Barnyashev changed his ring name to "Miro", adopting the nickname of the "Best Man". After winning the AEW TNT Championship, he became a villainous character once more, adopted the nicknames "The Redeemer" and "God's Favorite Champion", and changed his gimmick to that of a violent man with a god complex
A god complex is an unshakable belief characterized by consistently inflated feelings of personal ability, privilege, or infallibility. A person with a god complex may refuse to admit the possibility of their error or failure, even in the face o ...
.
Other media
Barnyashev, along with other Vendetta Pro Wrestling (VPW) wrestlers, appeared in the music video for the song "The Whole F'n Show" by Kushinator (the entrance music of wrestler Rob Van Dam
Robert Alexander Szatkowski (born December 18, 1970) is an American professional wrestler and actor better known by his ring name Rob Van Dam (frequently abbreviated to RVD). He is best known for his tenures in Extreme Championship Wrestling ...
).
As Rusev, he is a playable character in the video games ''WWE 2K15
''WWE 2K15'' is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's and published by 2K Sports for PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360, Xbox One and Microsoft Windows. It is the sequel to ''WWE 2K14'', and was succeeded by ''WWE 2K16''. ...
'', ''WWE 2K16
''WWE 2K16'' is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's and published by 2K Sports for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 4, Xbox 360 and Xbox One. It is the sequel to ''WWE 2K15'', and was succeeded by ''WWE 2K17''. ...
'', ''WWE 2K17
World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc., d/b/a as WWE, is an American professional wrestling promotion. A global integrated media and entertainment company, WWE has also branched out into other fields, including film, American football, and vari ...
'', ''WWE 2K18
''WWE 2K18'' is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's and published by 2K Sports. It is the nineteenth installment in the WWE game series (fifth under the ''WWE 2K'' banner) and a follow-up to '' WWE 2K17''. It was released wo ...
'', ''WWE 2K19
''WWE 2K19'' is a professional wrestling video game developed by Yuke's and published by 2K Sports. It was released worldwide on October 9, 2018, for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One. It is the twentieth overall game in the '' WWE ...
'', and '' WWE 2K20''.
In 2016, Barnyashev appeared as himself in Season 6 of the reality series '' Total Divas'', as well as the WWE film ''Countdown
A countdown is a sequence of backward counting to indicate the time remaining before an event is scheduled to occur. NASA commonly employs the terms "L-minus" and "T-minus" during the preparation for and anticipation of a rocket launch, and ev ...
'' and the animated film '' Scooby-Doo! and WWE: Curse of the Speed Demon''.
After his release from WWE in April 2020, Barnyashev began hosting a streaming channel on Twitch, as well as a YouTube
YouTube is a global online video sharing and social media platform headquartered in San Bruno, California. It was launched on February 14, 2005, by Steve Chen, Chad Hurley, and Jawed Karim. It is owned by Google, and is the second mo ...
channel, under the name "Miro", shortened from his real name Miroslav. "Miro" would also become his ring name in AEW when he debuted for the promotion in September 2020.
Personal life
Barnyashev married American professional wrestler and model Catherine Perry, better known as Lana, on July 29, 2016. They reside in Nashville, Tennessee
Nashville is the capital city of the U.S. state of Tennessee and the seat of Davidson County. With a population of 689,447 at the 2020 U.S. census, Nashville is the most populous city in the state, 21st most-populous city in the U.S., and ...
.
Miro is a supporter of his hometown football team Lokomotiv Plovdiv
PFC Lokomotiv Plovdiv ( bg, ПФК Локомотив Пловдив), commonly known as Loko Plovdiv, is a Bulgarian professional football club based in Plovdiv. Lokomotiv's home ground is the Lokomotiv Stadium which is situated in Lauta Park a ...
and Spanish football team Real Madrid
Real Madrid Club de Fútbol (, meaning ''Royal Madrid Football Club''), commonly referred to as Real Madrid, is a Spanish professional football club based in Madrid.
Founded in 1902 as Madrid Football Club, the club has traditionally wor ...
. He is also one of three partial owners of the FCF Beasts indoor football team, alongside American football player Marshawn Lynch
Marshawn Terrell Lynch (born April 22, 1986) is an American former football running back who played in the National Football League (NFL) for 12 seasons. Nicknamed "Beast Mode", he spent the majority of his career with the Seattle Seahawks. Lync ...
and basketball player Renee Montgomery
Renee Danielle Montgomery (born December 2, 1986) is an American former professional basketball player, sports broadcaster and activist who is currently vice president, part-owner, and investor of the Atlanta Dream, and one of three owners of th ...
.
Barnyashev became a naturalized American citizen on September 27, 2019.
On July 12, 2020, Miro announced that he had tested positive for COVID-19
Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a contagious disease caused by a virus, the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The first known case was identified in Wuhan, China, in December 2019. The disease quick ...
.
Filmography
Film
Television
Web
Championships and accomplishments
* All Elite Wrestling
All Elite Wrestling (AEW) is an American professional wrestling promotion based in Jacksonville, Florida. It is considered the second largest wrestling promotion in the United States behind WWE.
AEW is owned by Shahid Khan and his son Tony, ...
** AEW TNT Championship ( 1 time)
* ''Pro Wrestling Illustrated
''Pro Wrestling Illustrated'' (''PWI'') is an American internationally sold professional wrestling magazine that was founded in 1979 by publisher Stanley Weston. ''PWI'' is headquartered in Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, and published by Kappa Publi ...
''
** Most Improved Wrestler of the Year (2014)
** Ranked No. 8 of the top 500 singles wrestlers in the '' PWI 500'' in 2015
* ''Rolling Stone
''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
''
** Worst Storyline (2015) - with Dolph Ziggler, Summer Rae and Lana
* ''WrestleCrap
''WrestleCrap'' is a professional wrestling website created by R. D. Reynolds and Merle Vincent, serving as a "hall of shame" for some of the worst gimmicks and storylines in professional wrestling history. The site is currently run by Reynolds ...
''
** Gooker Award (2015) - feud with Dolph Ziggler, Summer Rae and Lana
* ''Wrestling Observer Newsletter
The ''Wrestling Observer Newsletter'' (''WON'') is a newsletter that covers professional wrestling and mixed martial arts.
Founded in print in 1982 by Dave Meltzer, the ''Wrestling Observer'' website merged with Bryan Alvarez's ''Figure Four W ...
''
** Best Gimmick (2014) – [
** ]Most Improved
Most Improved (foaled 3 May 2009) is an Irish Thoroughbred racehorse who won the 2012 St James's Palace Stakes at Royal Ascot. He was owned by Iraj Parvizi and trained by Brian Meehan, before being purchased by Derrick Smith, Sue Magnier and Mic ...
(2014)[
** Most Underrated (2017)]
* WWE
** WWE United States Championship
The WWE United States Championship is a professional wrestling championship promoted by the American promotion WWE, currently defended on the Raw brand division. It is one of two secondary championships for WWE's main roster, along with the ...
( 3 times)
** Slammy Award for Match of the Year (2014
File:2014 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: Stocking up supplies and personal protective equipment (PPE) for the Western African Ebola virus epidemic; Citizens examining the ruins after the Chibok schoolgirls kidnapping; Bundles of wa ...
) –
References
External links
*
*
*
*
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Miro
1984 births
Living people
All Elite Wrestling personnel
American male professional wrestlers
Bulgarian emigrants to the United States
Bulgarian male professional wrestlers
Bulgarian male rowers
Bulgarian Muay Thai practitioners
Bulgarian powerlifters
Expatriate professional wrestlers
Faux Russian professional wrestlers
Male YouTubers
NWA/WCW/WWE United States Heavyweight Champions
Professional wrestlers from Tennessee
Sportspeople from Plovdiv
Twitch (service) streamers
AEW TNT Champions
21st-century professional wrestlers