Why Rusev Is Currently Off WWE TV

The reason for Rusev's current absence from WWE programming has been revealed.

According to PWInsider, WWE aren't using Rusev on TV as part of a decision to ensure that wrestlers who aren't in the primary mix on the company's programming aren't being wasted on TV and they can be fresh whenever WWE have a new storyline for them. This ultimately means that WWE simply aren't using Rusev at the moment.

Outside of one Main Event match against Otis taped on December 1, Rusev has been gone from WWE TV since November 21 when he lost a quarter-final match in the Last Time is Now tournament to Jey Uso. Prior to that, Rusev had been featured in the Intercontinental Title picture since his win over Sheamus at Clash in Paris back in August.

Rusev made his return to WWE on the Raw after WrestleMania 41. He signed a two-year deal with WWE shortly after his release from All Elite Wrestling.

Rusev isn't the only WWE act being kept off TV so that they can be fresh when the company has a storyline for them. This also applied to The Street Profits, who have not wrestled outside of Main Event since losing a WWE Tag Team Title match to the Wyatt Sicks in October.

Aleister Black, meanwhile, has been on hiatus since losing an Ambulance Match to Damian Priest on the January 2 episode of SmackDown. Black's hiatus was already planned before the match, but he also suffered a small fracture to his tailbone in the January 2 contest.