Republished from Bleacher Report
(Credit: WWE.com)
Rusev and Lana are the ultimate example of how something just works.
Lana is effective alongside Rusev because she gives him credibility as a monster heel who needs a diplomat, albeit an arrogant one, to be restrained.
Lana's character is successful because it's more of a caricature than anything. Lana's thick accent and Russian tropes give her depth beyond being a typical Diva. She's such an over-the-top character, fans are able to laugh at her, which adds to her entertainment value and makes it easier for her to connect despite seeming unattainable to the naked eye.
The recent tease of Rusev and Lana splitting would be bad for both parties. As I mentioned on the PodNasty wrestling podcast, hopefully this is just a ruse. There's a possibility that Rusev is using Lana as a pawn to force John Cena to quit in their "I Quit" match at WWE Payback before the two reconcile.
But if the plan is to move forward with the Lana-Rusev split, not only will Rusev's world championship potential take a hit, so will Lana'slikeability.
According to the Wrestling Observer Newsletter (h/t WrestlingInc.com), there is talk of having Lana drop her accent and reveal she is American.
This would be a mistake since fans have taken a liking to the Lana character, not the person who plays her. Revealing Lana as an American would insult fans' intelligence, and a highly nostalgic crowd would be clamoring for the Ravishing Russian during what would be an awkward transition.
The template for this type of split is reminiscent of Sable and MarcMero. But Sable became such a big star on her own because fans weren't fully invested in Marc Mero. Mero was a midcarder fans didn't take seriously as a potential world title contender.
Marc Mero never rode in to WrestleMania on a tank.
Rusev, on the other hand, just came off an unbeaten streak and is an early favorite of sorts to win Money in the Bank. Rusev and Lana climbed near the top of the WWE roster as a team, and a split would send both of them tumbling back down.
Lana's lack of wrestling experience limits her to a managerial role, which may not be as effective as the lightning in a bottle she had with Rusev. And while Rusev is more than capable as a talker, he'd run the risk of being just another monster heel if Lana wasn't part of his act.
Rusev and Lana need each other. As much as fans have gravitated toward Lana, WWE needs to wait untilRusev is established as a main event star before breaking up one of its most potent duos.
Alfred Konuwa is a Featured Columnist and on-air host for Bleacher Report. Follow him on Twitter @ThisIsNasty and listen to his weekly wrestlingpodcast.
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