Is Vince McMahon Trying To Break Up Lana and Rusev In Real Life?

A huge topic of interest as of late on the F4WOnline.com audio shows has been that of Lana being broken off from Rusev in WWE’s Universe to manage Dolph Ziggler. Wrestling Observer editor Dave Meltzer, Figure Four Weekly editor Bryan Alvarez and others are suggesting that Vince McMahon broke them up on-screen to facilitate a real-breakup, with the WWE Chairman feeling that someone like Rusev shouldn’t be able to get a girl like Lana.

When a real-life couple that is paired on-screen breaks up in kayfabe, history has shown that life may imitate art. It’s also very common for the kayfabe “new squeeze” to become the real life “new squeeze.” It’s an occupational hazard in Hollywood and the professional wrestling industry.

Here are transcripts of this topic being discussed.

May 19, 2015 – Wrestling Observer Radio (Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer)
B: [Rusev] was apparently about to attack [Lana], and then Ziggler laid him out with a Zig-Zag. Ziggler then escorted Lana to the back. What a weird business this is.
D: Ah…..yeah, it sure is. Wonder what’s gonna happen.
B: (chuckles)
D: I mean, the last time they did something like this, CM Punk ended up marrying AJ Lee.
B: That’s what happened.
D: It did take a year or two, but that is what happened.
B: That is what happened.
D: Yep, and Daniel Bryan married Brie Bella.
B: Yes he did.
D: That took a couple years too.
B: Yeah, apparently she found out he wasn’t vegan, even though he was.
D: Yeah, and Stephanie McMahon married Hunter.
B: Yep. Well, doesn’t always happen like that.
D: And….no, of course not, doesn’t always. But geez…
B: Ted DiBiase Jr. didn’t marry Maryse, that poor fucker.
D: Yeah, but you could tell they couldn’t stand each other.
B: (chuckles) They did have no charisma together whatsoever.
D: I mean, let’s face it, nobody every believed that they would, because it was like, you never saw two people so…more him than her….he was so annoyed at having to pretend to be with this girl.
B: Well, he was married at the time, I’m sure he was happily married and…
D: Well, I’m sure his wife probably wasn’t thrilled because she probably, like, read the Observer or something, maybe read her uncle’s Observer…father-in-law’s Observer, and was just like…y’know what I mean? And then kind of learned the history of this business, and maybe in that situation…she shouldn’t be so happy.
B: That’s right.
D: They dumped that thing pretty quick.
B: And then we had…
D: So does that mean they’ll end up together in like, eighteen months?
B: Well I, I have faith in these youngsters, but who knows. Who knows.
D: So what happens to the house?
B: Well, it can always be sold. Hopefully, hopefully, they bought it when the market was down…I don’t know.
D: Yeah, hope they did, too.

May 19, 2015 – Bryan & Vinny & Craig Show (Bryan Alvarez, Vinny and Craig)
V: I will cut to the chase, they decided to make Lana and Dolph a couple, and their storyline for this was..
B: ..Why?
C: (whispers) What?
B: You really wanna know why?
C: Yeah.
B: …I don’t know if I should say why.
C: Okay.
B: It, it….
C: Send it to me.
B: No.
C: (chuckles)
V: Send it in pig latin.
B: It has nothing to do with an affair, for those of you who’re thinking….it’s just the way that Vince McMahon thinks. There are things that he thinks are right, and things that he thinks are wrong, let’s just put it that way.
V: Say no more.

June 2, 2015 – Wrestling Observer Radio (Dave Meltzer and Bryan Alvarez)
D: Yeah, I think…I could see why [Rusev] was there to do this promo thing, but I really hope for the next month we don’t see him on television, because, y’know having that injury…it’s a bitch to travel, y’know what I mean. He just needs to rest.
B: (chuckles) He’s gonna be traveling with Lana for the next month, dude.
D: Ughhhhh, man. I know. He doesn’t want to let her out of his sight, he knows the game that they’re playing.
B: He knows the game now.
D: Yeah, must have read some books or something.
B: Sure.
D: The story of Debra Marshall.
B: Of many, many people.
D: (chuckles) Yeah

The apparent lack of on-screen chemistry between Lana and Ziggler has also been touched on on the Bryan & Vinny Show and Bryan & Vinny & Craig Show.

June 2, 2015 – Bryan & Vinny & Craig Show (Bryan Alvarez, Vince and Craig)
V: So, they kiss once or twice, after the second Dolph knew something was up, he knew this was a trap.
C: I’ll say.
V: And sure enough, Rusev appeared and he came out and just beat the holy living fuck out of Dolph, whom it always sucks to be.
B: Of course, hey, he got to kiss Lana twice. I’m sure it was worth this beating.
V: I did note, it sucks even worse to be Stardust. So Rusev screamed at Lana…
B: Really suck to be poor Rusev, is who it’d suck to be.
C: This never ends well in real life, no.
V: No, it does not. So Rusev screamed at Lana and she slapped him, and he stewed and seethed, but before he could do anything, Dolph laid him out with a Zig-Zag, and Dolph and Lana left together, and you were talking about their lack of chemistry when they were kissing…
C: Hmm.
V: Even leaving the ring, (chuckles) they’d have been better off leaving on opposite sides of the ring. Would’ve been more coordinated than this. He hold up one side of the ropes, so she starts to leave through the other side of the ropes, so he goes to lift those ropes, but by that time, she’s already out. Yeah, I don’t buy that they’re a couple.
B: Well, Rusev is very protective of his woman, and he’s really, really big.
C: Right
B: So maybe it was like…well, you know, let’s be professional about this thing right here, let’s not grab her ass…let’s just put our hand on her waist…just to be safe.

May 31, 2015 – Bryan & Vinny Show (Bryan Alvarez and Vinny)
B: But anyway, I think that CJ really loves Miro, and I think that Dolph thinks CJ is ridiculously hot, but he knows if I get too close, Miroslav Barnyashev is gonna beat the fuck out of me. And so, I’m just gonna…you know…
V: I, Nick Nemeth, fear Miroslav Barnyashev.
B: Yeah.
V: Therefore, will make sure Dolph Ziggler does not anger Rusev.
B: I mean he probably…I’m sure…this is what…maybe I’m the only one. Lemme explain cartoons to everybody, okay? And this relates to real life. I’m sure that Dolph Ziggler probably could take down Rusev, and hold him down, with his amateur background, okay? However, I believe, regardless of that, if Miroslav Barnyashev got really fucking angry, and smoke was coming out of his ears…even though Dolph could take him down and hold him down, he’d still run for his life! This is just the way humans operate. So yes, I think that he’s being careful.