Rusev Motivated By Son's Impending Birth To Chase IC Title

Rusev and his wife CJ Perry announced last week that they are expecting their first child, a son named Bear, due next April. The WWE star expressed excitement about impending fatherhood and said it has motivated him even more to succeed in the ring.

In an interview with TMZ Sports' Inside the Ring, Rusev stated he has been pursuing the Intercontinental Championship for over a year. He declared, "I believe when the time is right I will bring it back home." Rusev added, "Whether it's before Bear or after Bear, this title will be mine."

He explained that knowing Bear is coming gives him more to fight for and that he wants to teach his son how to be a man, stand up for himself, and concentrate his strength. Rusev described his next mission as showing his life to his child and demonstrating how to behave when he grows up and Rusev is not there.

The wrestler has been absent from television since suffering a neck injury in July that caused numbness in his hands, followed by an illness that caused him to miss additional time. Although it is unclear when he will return to WWE, Rusev said he is not upset about the time away and believes his momentum will stay intact.