Former NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov has been seen at the WWE Performance Center this week, sparking speculation about the status of his recovery from a torn ACL suffered in September 2024. According to Fightful Select, Dragunov has been present in full workout gear, though it remains unclear whether he is actively training for a return or undergoing routine evaluations.
Dragunov’s initial recovery timeline was estimated at six to nine months, but his presence at the facility has fueled rumors that he may be ahead of schedule. Recent reports suggested he had been training without the use of support gear, signaling significant progress in his rehabilitation.
The injury derailed Dragunov’s momentum on the main roster at a critical point, leaving fans eager for updates on his return. While there is no official word yet on WWE’s creative plans for him, the timing of his appearance at the Performance Center during WrestleMania season has raised eyebrows.
If Dragunov is nearing a return, his comeback could inject fresh energy into WWE programming. Known as “The Mad Dragon,” Dragunov is a fierce competitor, and fans are anticipating his return to action. Whether he’s gearing up for a surprise return or simply progressing in his recovery, his journey back to the ring is being closely watched.
During the WWE SuperShow on September 28th in Columbus, Georgia, ‘The Ring General’ faced ‘The Mad Dragon’ in a title match. Gunther successfully retained his title but Dragunov sustained a major injury that will keep him on the shelf for several months. On last night’s WWE Raw, footage from their match aired and the injury was confirmed.
WWE recently shared the footage of the announcement about Dragunov’s injury on social media and Gunther mocked him in a Tweet. Check it out below:
Gunther used the same phrase that was seen on the wall at Carozza Fitness gym in Stamford, Connecticut during a video showing GUNTHER’s training for WWE Bash in Berlin where he faced Randy Orton.
The former NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov will be absent from in-ring action for the remainder of the year and he is likely to miss next year’s PLEs including Royal Rumble and WrestleMania. It has been announced that he will be gone for six to nine months. A minimum of six months recovery time indicates that he will be absent for WrestleMania 41 season as well.
On the other hand, Gunther is enjoying his World title run and Sami Zayn poses a threat to his title reign. Last night on WWE Raw, ‘The Ring General’ finally accepted Zayn’s challenge and they will face each other at this weekend’s WWE Bad Blood PLE.
WWE is heading to Germany for this weekend’s Bash In Berlin PLE and former NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov is quite emotional on his return to the city. Dragunov was born in Russia but raised in Berlin, where he kicked off his career.
Speaking to Metro, Ilja Dragunov said that his career is bringing him back to the city where he ‘made his beginnings in this business.’ He spoke about WWE making history in Germany where he not only grew up as a human but also as a performer. He said:
“It is such a wonderful emotional, wild time right now for me, because everything for me is like a whole circle. We’re making history in my country, where I grew up, and not only grew up as as a human, just grew up as a performer. I competed in all those cities.”
Dragunov started his training at the German Wrestling Federation (GWF) training school under veterans Axel Tischer (Alexander Wolfe in WWE) and Rick Baxxter. The 30-year-old gained popularity in wXw and PROGRESS Wrestling before signing with WWE. Now, Ilja is a part of WWE’s ongoing Road To Bash In Berlin tour and performing in the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. He faced his arch-rival the World Heavyweight Champion Gunther during WWE’s stop in Oberhausen, Germany, on August 27.
During the interview, Dragunov said that it’s the beauty of pro wrestling that his career is coming full circle. He added:
“And just this comparison from back in the day, from the indie scene where I made my first touches with this business, to now where I’m at the peak of my career. It just shows me how beautiful this, this, this profession is, and how proud I am to be a part of it.”
On next week’s Raw, Ilja Dragunov will compete against Dragon Lee and Dominik Mysterio in a triple threat match in the Intercontinental Title No.1 Contenders Tournament Match. The winner will advance to join Jey Uso and Pete Dunne on their quest to capture the Intercontinental title, currently held by Bron Breakker.
WWE is officially on the road to their next premium live event, Bash In Berlin, which will take place on August 31 in Berlin, Germany. Ahead of the PLE, the company stopped for a live house show at the Rudolf Weber Arena in Oberhausen, Germany, on August 27.
The card featured several matchups from the Friday Night Smackdown roster as WWE prepares for a live episode on August 30 at the Uber Arena in Berlin, Germany. The house show also had WWE World Heavyweight Champion Gunther, Ilja Dragunov, and Sheamus competing to represent the Monday Night RAW brand. In the main event, Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes put his title on the line against AJ Styles.
WWE Results (8/27)
Here are the results(Provided by Cagematch) for the latest WWE house show:
WWE United States Championship Fatal Four Way Match: (C) LA Knight b. Ludwig Kaiser, Sheamus, and Shinsuke Nakamura
DIY (Johnny Gargano & Tommaso Ciampa) b. Pretty Deadly (Elton Prince & Kit Wilson)
WWE Women’s Championship Match: Bayley b. (C) Nia Jax via DQ
Bayley & Naomi b. Nia Jax & Tiffany Stratton
WWE World Heavyweight Championship Match: (C) Gunther b. Ilja Dragunov
Bianca Belair & Jade Cargill b. Candice LeRae & Indi Hartwell
WWE Tag Team Championship Match: (C) The Bloodline (Tama Tonga & Tonga Loa) with Jacob Fatu b. A-Town Down Under (Austin Theory & Grayson Waller) and The Street Profits (Angelo Dawkins & Montez Ford)
Undisputed WWE Championship Match: (C) Cody Rhodes b. AJ Styles
Reactions From WWE Road To Bash In Berlin Event
WWE fans who attended the show have expressed their enjoyment on social media by sharing photos and videos from the event. The company has also shared a post on X of Kaiser making his entrance in his home country, which received a huge reaction from the crowd.
WWE Continues To Build Momentum Ahead Of Bash In Berlin
The company will continue its road to Bash In Berlin with two more house shows before Smackdown. WWE will hold events at the Porsche Arena in Stuttgart, Germany, on August 28 and at the Festhalle Frankfurt in Frankfurt, Germany, on August 29. Tickets for both shows are still on sale on Ticketmaster.
The tour through Germany has given fans a taste of what to expect at the PLE this Saturday. Based on the reactions from those attending the house shows this week, Bash In Berlin should have a great crowd to witness some of WWE’s best superstars compete live.
Sami Zayn had some strong words about Ilja Dragunov and the future of WWE after the July 15, edition of Monday Night Raw went off the air.
In the main event of the show, Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn defended against Ilja Dragunov. The pair were on course for an instant classic before Bron Breakker emerged and attacked both men, abruptly ending the contest. Breakker, who had been banned from the building, laid out both men to end the show, making clear he still plans on winning the Intercontinental Championship.
After WWE RAW (July 15, 2024)
While Breakker may have left both the champion and challenger worse for wear, Zayn and Dragunov shared a segment after the show. Speaking to the crowd in the Nutter Center in Dayton, Ohio, Zayn gave credit to the Mad Dragon as someone for fans to keep an eye on.
“All of you are looking at the future of WWE right here and his name is Ilja Dragunov!”
Dragunov appreciated the high praise from Zayn. Despite the war they’d put each other through, the two men shook hands to the delight of the crowd.
“The Future Of WWE”
Ilja Dragunov does indeed look bright, as he’s quickly established himself as a formidable competitor on WWE Raw. This week’s title match with Zayn marks Dragunov’s third time headlining WWE’s longest-running weekly episodic show since being called up to the main roster in this year’s draft.
Dragunov has more than held his own, a promising sign that management will remain confident in his potential and will continue to put him in positions to succeed.
Fans shouldn’t be seeing Bron Breakker on WWE TV for the foreseeable future after being suspended, but it’s proving tough to keep the ex-NXT Champion off TV.
On the May 27, edition of WWE Monday Night Raw, Ricochet was seen in the trainers’ room. The One and Only spoke with Adam Pearce and asked for a match with Breakker only to be informed that Bron had been suspended due to his actions last week.
With Breakker not an option, Ricochet requested a match against Ilja Dragunov from Pearce. This request was granted, which shouldn’t come as a surprise to fans as this match had been advertised before Monday Night Raw went on the air. This was a rematch of the pair’s King of the Ring first-round match that saw Dragunov get the win.
During said match and despite being suspended, Bron Breakker appeared and speared both Ricochet and Dragunov, causing the match to be called off. Pearce stormed out and berated Breakker but stopped when he recognized that the two-time former NXT Champion might attack him next.
Breakker is expected to be a huge deal on the main roster with many seeing him as a future WWE World Champion. And while being suspended would in theory derail those plans, it seems keeping Bron out of the ring is proving easier said than done.,
Former NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov is seemingly unlocking his fierce side following his loss against Jey Uso on last night’s Raw. ‘The Mad Dragon’ headlined last night’s edition of Monday Night Raw when he competed against Jey Uso in the quarter-final match in the King of The Ring Tournament. Dragunov, who was recently drafted to the red brand, suffered a defeat and this marks his first loss on the main roster.
Ilja Dragunov already making a mark on WWE’s main roster
Dragunov was visibly frustrated when he spoke to Cathy Kelley in a Raw Exclusive. When he was asked about his defeat at the hands of Jey Uso, Dragunov said that though the loss was frustrating there is no shame that he lost to ‘Main Event’ Jey Uso. He revealed that he was “tired” and in “pain”. However, he finds beauty in it as he becomes an entire monster when he is in pain.
“I mean, what should I say? It’s so frustrating, it is. But where is actually the shame to lose to the man the ‘Main Event’, right? All I know right now, I’m tired, I’m in pain, but the beauty of it is that in already very dangerous in this ring. But when I’m pain, I’m an entire monster.”
When asked about sharing his predictions for the semi-clash clash, he showered praise on both Jey Uso and Gunther. He also quoted WWE Hall of Famer Shawn Michaels and said:
“Predictions? I mean, they’re both like the absolute bar. The only prediction I can make is for myself, and this prediction is, no one is safe anymore. To quote Shawn Michaels, ‘I’m what the kids call a real problem.”
Jey Uso is now all set to face Gunther in the semi-final clash on next week’s edition of Raw.
Ilja Dragunov had a successful run in WWE’s developmental brand, NXT. He became the NXT Champion and defended the title against some of the top stars on the brand. His reign came to an end when he was dethroned by rising superstar, Trick Williams.
During the fourth round on the Night Two of the 2024 WWE Draft, Raw bagged the signing of Ilja Dragunov which was certainly a massive pick. His performance in NXT was pretty impressive and his main roster call-up opens the door for some huge matches in the future.
WWE took its first steps towards crowning a new King and Queen of the Ring this week with a total of six first-round matches on the May 6, episode of Raw.
Both tournaments will culminate at the WWE King and Queen of the Ring PLE later this month which will take place in Saudi Arabia. WWE had initially planned on hosting the event last year but nixed the idea in favor of WWE Night of Champions. That event saw Roman Reigns reach 1,000 days as Universal Champion and Seth Rollins crowned World Heavyweight Champion.
King of the Ring Results
On Raw, the recently called-up Ilja Dragunov defeated new WWE Speed Champion Ricochet to advance to the next round. Meanwhile, Jey Uso got payback on The Judgment Day with a tournament victory over 2021 runner-up Finn Balor. Originally, Drew McIntyre was supposed to be in Jey’s spot but his injury forced changes to be made. Dragunov and Jey will face each other in the quarter-finals next week.
Queen Of The Ring Results
Raw also saw Zoey Stark advance with a win over Ivy Nile, while Lyra Valkyria defeated Dakota Kai. Like Jey Uso, Kai was a last-minute replacement for Asuka, who Damage CTRL confirmed is out with an injury. Stark and Valkyria will face each other in the next round on the May 13, episode of Raw.
What’s To Come?
While WWE promoted four matches from each tournament for Raw, only three took place. At a WWE live event this week, Kofi Kingston and Rey Mysterio will face off in a first-round match. This was supposed to be Rey Vs. Xavier Woods but the latter has been replaced due to not being medically cleared. The winner will face GUNTHER next week.
Shayna Baszler and Zelina Vega will also do battle at a WWE live event, despite being previously promoted for the Raw taping. The winner will face IYO SKY on next week’s Raw with a spot in the semi-finals on the line.
First-round matches will continue on the May 10, episode of WWE SmackDown. Carmelo Hayes, LA Knight, and Santos Escobar have all announced their participation.
“NXT became my home. A lot of these people became a home away from home for me. But now it’s time for my next chapter and I’ve got to make a promise, a promise I already kept here. To every place I come I push the place to the next level… and that’s the same thing I’ll do when I come to Raw.”
Dragunov wasn’t the only big name from NXT to be moved. Former Women’s Champion Lyra Valkyria was selected by Raw in the fifth round. The Irish Superstar was visibly emotional as news of her selection was made and the remaining NXT roster was very happy for her as seen in the clip below.
Valkyria made a handful of appearances last year on the main roster in the run-up to her NXT Women’s Championship victory over Becky Lynch. Lyra recently failed to recapture the title from Roxanne Perez in a triple-threat at WWE NXT Stand & Deliver that also included Tatum Paxley.
With Dragunov and Valkyria moving to Raw, it’s hard to ignore that this has left NXT without two of its top Superstars. There have been fears that NXT would be depleted in the draft and some NXT talent are wary of being called to the main roster without a plan. As NXT’s head, Shawn Michaels will now have to work around losing some of the brand’s top names which will give another Superstar the opportunity to step up.
More on the 2024 WWE Draft
Here are some recent articles regarding the 2024 WWE Draft as the landscape of WWE continues to change:
Trick Williams’ rise to the top of NXT was an amazing story to watch, and it reached a peak during Spring Breakin’ Week One on 4/23. Williams defeated Ilja Dragunov to become the new NXT Champion.
This match had a special stipulation for Trick, because he would be banished from NXT if he lost. In the end, he walked out of the NXT Arena as the brand’s top champion.
Before he went out, Williams was on the phone with his mother, who is in the hospital. She was certainly a source of inspiration for him during this match.
Williams entered this match 0-3 against his opponent. He and Dragunov last battled for the NXT Title at Vengeance Day in February. That match ended with the Mad Dragon retaining his championship.
After ending Dragunov’s 204-day reigns as champion, Trick Williams is the 30th man to hold the NXT Title. He was elated to speak about his win after Spring Breakin’ was over.
This match had a big-fight feel to it as it main evented the Spring Breakin’ special. The Creed Brothers and Ivy Nile were also sitting in the front row, cheering Trick on.
This match saw many high-intensity spots, including Williams putting Dragunov through the announce table with a Rock Bottom. They continued in the ring, where Trick kicked out of two H-Bomb finishers from the Russian.
Finally, Williams nailed a Trick Shot to secure the clean win and become the new NXT Champion. After the match, Dragunov hugged Trick before he left the ring while the NXT Arena chanted, “Whoop that, Trick!”
After entering WWE as Carmelo Hayes’ right-hand man, Trick quickly gained a following of his own. He eventually broke the news to Hayes that he wanted to maintain their alliance, but he needed to do things on his own.
Trick Williams is coming off of two big matches against Carmelo Hayes. He defeated HIM at NXT: Stand & Deliver on April 6 during WrestleMania 40 weekend. He then met, and defeated, Melo once again last week in a cage match on NXT. Those matches paved the way to this big match for Trick.
Trick Williams has been on WWE’s radar for quite a long time, and in line for a push. Shawn Michaels also gave special care to his program with Carmelo Hayes, ensuring that they snagged the main event spot at Stand & Deliver.
It was previously reported that WWE has paid attention to Trick Williams, and officials took notice of the reaction he got in his surprise SmackDown appearance back in January. There have also been pitches for Trick and Melo to continue their rivalry on the main roster.
The 29-year-old Williams actually entered WWE by way of an XFL tryout. He had aspirations on the gridiron in his eyes prior to accepting an offer to test his abilities at the Performance Center.
2024 WWE Draft
Ilja Dragunov already declared that he will be in the 2024 WWE Draft. Those important dates are coming up sooner than mater, as it will kick off with Friday, April 26 for SmackDown and Monday, April 29 for RAW.
The 2024 WWE Draft will see the Superstars of the main roster be eligible to move to NXT in a break from how the draft usually affects the gold brand.
Sources close to NXT’s creative process told Fightful Select that talent from Raw and SmackDown could be moved to NXT as part of the draft. The WWE Universe recently saw The Final Testament and Viking Raider appear on NXT where they ambushed new tag-team champions Nathan Frazer & Axiom, Viking Raider Ivar also appeared to confront North American Champion Oba Femi.
This is all part of WWE’s efforts to make NXT the third brand of WWE once again. In 2019, WWE attempted to put NXT on the same level as Raw and SmackDown when the gold brand was moved to the USA Network. The next two weeks of NXT programming will focus on the draft in the lead-up to Spring Breakin.
Being Called Up
While some main roster Superstars could soon call NXT home, fans can expect some call-ups as part of the WWE Draft. , Carmelo Hayes and Ilja Dragunov are said to be “a lock” for RAW or SmackDown. Roxanne Perez’s fate remains uncertain despite her call-up being teased on TV.
Tony D’Angelo’s Family and Baron Corbin have been discussed as possible additions to RAW or SmackDown. Corbin’s tag-team partner Bron Breakker was recently moved to SmackDown and it has been reported in the past that WWE was considering keeping them together.
The Timing of The Draft
The WWE 2024 Draft will kick-off on the April 26, SmackDown and conclude on the April 29, Raw. The timing is no mere coincidence as WWE planned for the week of the NFT draft to capitalize on ‘draft fever’ which they’ve done in the past.
It was noted that WWE will receive input from their media partners, especially the CW (the future home of NXT) and Netflix (the future home of Raw.) One source added that with the Raw-Netflix move being closer to next year’s draft as opposed to this year “that won’t be something we need to worry about for a while.”
WWE will certainly have a different feel to it by the end of the WWE draft with all three brands set to be affected. Keep checking in with SE Scoops for all the latest WWE Draft news and to find out who goes where.
WWE could have big plans for a lot of NXT Superstars, and it only seems natural that the company wants to make a big star out of Ilja Dragunov. The question is how soon they will get that going.
WWE NXT: Stand & Deliver will go down on April 6 during the afternoon before WrestleMania 40‘s first night. SEScoops will have coverage as the show starts at 11:30 AM EST.
Ilja Dragunov is preparing for his NXT Championship defense at NXT: Stand & Deliver against Tony D’Angelo. While there are no immediate plans for him to move to the main roster, but it’s anticipated that he will transition to RAW or SmackDown after dropping the NXT Championship.
Current Situation With Ilja Dragunov’s WWE Main Roster Call-Up
Ilja Dragunov is heading into his next title defense at NXT: Stand And Deliver on WrestleMania 40 weekend. He will defend the title against Tony D’Angelo in a program that has been built like a Sopranos storyline.
According to information from Corey Brennan of Fightful Select, there are currently no plans for Dragunov to move up to the main roster, but it’s expected that he will transition there after losing the NXT Championship. It was also noted that some within NXT believe he has outgrown the brand.
Some fans have questioned if Dragunov was willing to make the move to the main roster and cite his trips home as a reason why. At this time, Fightful has not been told of any such issue, with WWE being more than happy to accommodate Dragunov’s schedule.
Perspective on Ilja Dragunov
In terms of WWE’s broader plans, there is a perception among some in NXT that Dragunov is viewed similarly to GUNTHER. Those plans to push him similarly once he joins the main roster may be in place.
Dragunov’s performance in NXT has earned him praise, with producers noting his ability to excel with minimal direction compared to others on the roster.
Fellow NXT talent have also given Dragunov big props for his ability to elevate his opponents in the ring and how much he gets the pro wrestling business. Additionally, he is described as easy to work with and a positive presence backstage, further enhancing his reputation within the company.
We will have to see when Ilja Dragunov makes his way to the WWE main roster. At this time, it does not appear that there are any plans to rush the process.
SEScoops will have more on this story, and many more in the pro wrestling business. Keep checking back throughout the day for more headlines!
The 2024 NXT Stand & Deliver event is set for Saturday, April 6, 2024, at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This will be the fourth annual Stand & Deliver event. However, there’s a twist as the NXT Champion was just abducted weeks before the event.
Tony D’Angelo and his Sopranos gimmick has been known to borrow from the pages of classic mob tactics. During this week’s NXT, they ran an old-school abduction play.
The Set-Up
During the March 12 episode of WWE NXT, they showed Tony D’Angelo and his Family out to dinner. They were very pleased about his upcoming NXT Title match at Stand & Deliver.
Then Ilja Dragunov showed up with his NXT Title around his shoulder. The Don motioned for his cohorts to depart, and they left the table.
Ilja Dragunov then congratulated Tony for all that he’s accomplished. He’s a titan of industry and has his hands in many things. However, Ilja said that the NXT Title is all that he has, and he will make sure that after NXT Stand & Deliver, the title will stay with him.
“Is that so?” D’Angelo asked. “I’m afraid it is,” Ilja Dragunov replied.
Then Tony D said that he likes Ilja Dragunov, and “whatever happens here” … suddenly, Tony’s associates plucked Ilja Dragunov up and carried him off.
Tony D’Angelo finished his wine, and stood up from the table. After thanking the owner of the establishment for the meal, he left.
The next shot showed Stacks closing the lid to the trunk of their car. It is supposed that they’re running a kidnapping angle now, with Ilja Dragunov in the trunk. Then they drove off into the night with no sight of the NXT Champion.
Later on, they showed Ilja Dragunov and Tony D’Angelo on a bridge. This was apparently the place where they wanted to have a conversation.
Tony threatened to throw Ilja off the bridge without really saying anything. Then, he told Dragunov to “have a nice walk back.” Ilja Dragunov then said that “one thing you’ll find about me is I always find a way.”
This was quite an intense angle, and it certainly added a lot to this story as they get closer to Stand & Deliver.
We will have to see how things progress from this point. If Ilja Dragunov can’t get out of the mob’s clutches, then he may not make it to Stand & Deliver.
SEScoops will keep our eye on this story for more updates. There will certainly be more stories to tell on the road to NXT Stand & Deliver.
WWE NXT 2024 Stand & Deliver Card (So Far):
Ilja Dragunov (c) vs. Tony D’Angelo – Singles match for the NXT Championship
Baron Corbin and Bron Breakker (c) vs. Tournament Winners – Tag team match for the NXT Tag Team Championship
Ilja Dragunov was stretchered out during the NXT episode on December 19th, but no worries, because it’s just part of the story. Although some fans initially jumped to conclusions that Ridge Holland injured another Superstar, it seems that WWE is turning that into an angle instead.
The scene was filmed the previous week, taking inspiration from Ridge Holland’s involvement in Big E’s injury two years ago. He also recently caused Elton Prince’s injury, costing Pretty Deadly valuable time away from the ring. While some in WWE found the idea a bit controversial, they decided to go ahead with it.
Corey Brennan of Fightful reported last week that the incident was planned, and now there’s more information.
Fightful Select further noted that, according to NXT sources, everyone involved was happy with the performance and camera work, and producers were pleased with how the crowd reacted to the angle.
WWE producers knew most attendees understood it was scripted, as they quickly announced the start of the next show. Cameras even followed Dragunov to the ambulance as it drove off.
The December 19th, 2023 episode of WWE NXT drew a viewership of 641,000. The P18-49 rating for the episode stood at 0.17. That wasn’t much of a drop for a pre-taped episode, so close to Christmas.
It will be interesting to see how WWE NXT plays the rest of this angle with Ilja Dragunov and Ridge Holland. It certainly garnered a bit of attention, and a positive reception backstage.
Reigning WWE NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov was seemingly injured during the latest tapings of the gold brand but things aren’t entirely what they seem.
Dragunov is in his first reign as WWE NXT Champion and won the title from Carmelo Hayes at WWE NXT No Mercy in September. Since then, Dragunov has retained against Hayes, ‘Dirty’ Dominik Mysterio, and Baron Corbin. He is also a former WWE NXT UK Champion.
Ilja Dragunov Injured?
With next week being so close to Christmas, the December 19, episode was filmed this week to give the roster and crew time off to be with their families. It has been reported that Dragunov worked against Ridge Holland for the taping and in photos that emerged online, it appeared the NXT Champion was seriously injured.
This injury couldn’t come at a worse time for the Mad Dragon, who is set to defend the NXT Championship against Trick Williams at New Year’s Evil. Dragunov was also caught up in the storyline with Carmelo Hayes and Lexis King this week, as to who attacked Williams weeks ago. Hayes accused Dragunov of attacking Trick and himself on this week’s show.
WWE NXT Halloween Havoc is just around the corner on October 22nd. The card is stacked with three title matches, a Weapons Wild match, an Ambulance match, and a Spin the Wheel, Make a Deal match.
Bron Breakker is scheduled to defend the NXT Championship at the special show. Breakker will put the title on the line in a Triple Threat match against JD McDonagh and Ilja Dragunov.
Ilja is one of the only WWE stars that holds a victory over Intercontinental Champion Gunther, formerly known as Walter in NXT UK.
Dragunov defeated Walter at NXT TakeOver 36 to capture the NXT UK Championship. NXT UK has since folded as a brand but WWE will be launching NXT Europe in 2023.
The growth of #WWENXT to include all of Europe will not only bring diversity and opportunity to in-ring competition, but also recruitment and development of athletes from around the world. @WWE wants the best from around the globe!!! https://t.co/QInphcIVe8
Shawn Michaels recently spoke with Connor Casey of Comicbook about a number of topics. The 57-year-old discussed the NXT Championship match at Halloween Havoc this Saturday.
The Heartbreak Kid said Dragunov is an “incredibly special young man” and is looking forward to the Triple Threat this Saturday night.
I don’t think anybody would be surprised to know that we’re thrilled to have Ilja here as we are with so many of our UK stars. But he is obviously an incredibly special young man, a very unique talent, to say the least.
And look, I’m excited because first of all, I’ve watched Ilja and JD go at it before. It’s nothing short of spectacular every time. Then you add Bron in there. I’m anxious to see the intensity between Ilja and Bron. I think that’s going to be a fantastic match.
Bron Breakker captured the NXT Championship from Dolph Ziggler on the episode of WWE RAW following WrestleMania 38. The 24-year-old has held the title for 194 days and it will be interesting to see if Bron leaves Halloween Havoc still the NXT Champion.
WWE has a loaded roster right now, but several of the promotion’s top Superstars are currently on the injured list.
Cody Rhodes isn’t expected back for months after tearing his pectoral muscle just hours before the WWE Hell in a Cell Premium Live Event last month.
Randy Orton has been out of action for over a month now, while Rhea Ripley had to be pulled from a Raw Women’s Championship match due to a brain injury.
The Champion Vacates
Now, another WWE Superstar is out, and it has cost them their championship.
At the start of the latest NXT UK television tapings, NXT UK Champion Ilja Dragunov vacated the title due to an undisclosed injury.
Reports from the BT Studios in London, England note that Dragunov was spotted wearing a protective boot over one of his legs.
An eight-man tournament began during the tapings to crown a new champion with Tyler Bate, Trent Seven, Mark Coffey, and Oliver Carter all advancing to the next round.
Dragunov’s Reign
Dragunov’s reign marks the first time the NXT UK Championship has been vacated.
His title reign began in August 2021, ending the record-breaking 870-day reign of WALTER, now Intercontinental Champion GUNTHER.
Dragunov had six successful title defenses during his reign, retaining his title against A-Kid (Axiom), Jordan Devlin (JD McDonagh), Rampage Brown, Roderick Strong, and Nathan Frazier.
Ilja’s reign has ended at 320 days, making him the third-longest reigning NXT UK Champion.
Fans will be making their way back to NXT UK shows.
The COVID-19 pandemic made its mark on the wrestling industry. For a while, fans weren’t allowed to travel to shows and wrestling promotions had to adjust and hold events behind closed doors. We’ve seen fans make their return at full capacity in WWE and AEW. Other promotions in Japan still have reduced capacity crowds, although that is looking to change soon.
One brand in WWE that hasn’t been able to see fans in almost 18 months is NXT UK. Finally, there is some good news on that end.
Alex McCarthy of talkSPORT reports that starting on Oct. 14, NXT UK will be held inside the BT Sport Studios with fans in attendance.
BREAKING: NXT UK will have fans back in for their tapings at BT Studios starting Thursday, October 14.
It’s almost 18 months since they had a crowd. I reported last week BT Sport were working hard on it with WWE, glad to see it happen!
“BREAKING: NXT UK will have fans back in for their tapings at BT Studios starting Thursday, October 14. It’s almost 18 months since they had a crowd. I reported last week BT Sport were working hard on it with WWE, glad to see it happen!
“The first episode back has Ilja Dragunov Vs A-Kid for the NXT UK title. Pretty strong damn start!”
As mentioned in the report, Dragunov vs. A-Kid is on tap for the first episode with fans back in attendance. Dragunov ended the 870-day NXT United Kingdom Title reign of WALTER back in August.
Ilja Dragunov wants to be the face of NXT UK after defeating WALTER at NXT TakeOver 36 and becoming the new NXT UK Champion. In what was a rematch of one of 2020’s best matches and a potential contender for match of the year in its own right, Dragunov ended WALTER’s 870-day reign as NXT UK Champion in Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center.
After his win, Ilja Dragunov wants fans to pay attention to the UK brand as according to the new champion, it is better than all the other brands in WWE. Speaking to Lucha Libre Online, Dragunov said that he knows that he now has the responsibility to represent NXT UK and in his opinion, it is the greatest brand in WWE. The reasoning he gave behind his statement is that no other brand comes close to NXT UK when it comes to the in-ring style and physicality, and the ability to connect fans to the performance. Dragunov said that NXT UK is untouchable and he urged fans to stop sleeping on it.
Previously in an interview, Dragunov said that the work ethic of the NXT UK locker room inspires him to do better and reiterated that fans should be paying attention to he brand. “Just when I step into the locker room, I see the people, day by day getting better. The work mentality inspires me and makes me proud to be the champion of this brand and represent. I see so much talent on this brand that people will pay attention to as soon as they get a chance. One chance can change the world. I’m sure the people who sleep on NXT UK will not sleep on NXT UK in the future because the talent is rising.”
Meanwhile, after his loss to Dragunov, WALTER was reportedly in a lot of talks among WWE officials that he should become a regular fixture on NXT. It is not known however if he would actually appear on the regular version of NXT as WALTER is not too keen on relocating to America. So much so that didn’t even consider signing with WWE before NXT UK was created. “I was never too keen about leaving Germany or Europe to live in the United States. It’s a big step. Most of the other wrestlers are willing to do it because it’s their goal from day one or early in their career.”
Ilja Dragunov plans on representing NXT UK to the fullest.
Dragunov had a “Match of the Year” contender against WALTER at NXT TakeOver 36. This was a rematch from their classic match last year. Dragunov pulled off the win, ending WALTER’s 870-day reign as NXT UK Champion.
During a media call, Dragunov said he isn’t focused on a potential move to the Raw or SmackDown brands at the moment.
“I don’t think about it because I have the responsibility to carry NXT UK as a brand, which I think is a standout brand. This is my main priority now. I have big footsteps to step into and I will do it in the future. It is important to carry this brand on my shoulders and I will carry it with pride. I would love to carry this brand on my shoulders because I’m proud of this brand and proud of the hard-working people there.
“Just when I step into the locker room, I see the people, day by day getting better. The work mentality inspires me and makes me proud to be the champion of this brand and represent. I see so much talent on this brand that people will pay attention to as soon as they get a chance. One chance can change the world. I’m sure the people who sleep on NXT UK will not sleep on NXT UK in the future because the talent is rising.”
Ilja Dragunov appeared on the post-TakeOver 36 edition of NXT UK. He credited his will and his fists for getting him the victory over WALTER. He vowed to take on all challengers gunning for his NXT UK crown.
A rematch of one of 2020’s best matches took place with WWE NXT UK Champion WALTER defending the strap against Ilja Dragunov at Saturday’s (August 22, 2021) WWE NXT TakeOver 36 event in Orlando, Florida at the Capitol Wrestling Center on the Peacock.
The match was stiff and hard-hitting just as expected. The chops sounded like gunshots. WALTER dominated early until Ilja made his comeback. Not only did IIja win, but he did it with a sleeper.
Their first match saw WALTER defeat Dragunov on NXT UK last October to retain the NXT United Kingdom Championship, which was highly praised. Since then, in storyline, Dragunov has struggled with temper issues, but managed to get it under control.
In June, Dragunov defeated Rampage Brown and Joe Coffey in a triple threat match on NXT UK to be set up as the next challenger for WALTER’s Title. Post-match, WALTER came to the ring and attacked Dragunov.
The match was supposed to take place on the Thursday, July 22 episode of NXT UK, but since WALTER suffered an injury, it got delayed to this show.
WALTER had been the NXT United Kingdom Champion since winning the strap from Pete Dunne at NXT TakeOver: New York in 2019.
It has been a difficult few weeks for WWE Superstars, particularly on the NXT brand, with the company releasing several names across the developmental system.
WWE are back tonight with a live programme after two weeks of taped shows on SyFy. According to a new report from WrestleVotes, the tensions behind the scenes at NXT are sky-high.
“The mood at the PC today ahead of tonight’s NXT show…. hooooooo boy. Tensions running high, to say the least,” the Twitter leaker noted.
Tensions in NXT
WWE has confirmed several matches and moments for this week’s episode of the show, including Adam Cole, who may well be on his way out of the company in the next few weeks himself.
It isn’t surprising that there may be some issues backstage at the taping; with 12 members of the NXT brand released this past Friday, this is probably the first time that many Superstars have been around the locker room as a whole since then.
Here’s the current lineup for NXT on USA Network tonight:
Sarray vs. Ember Moon
Adam Cole and Kyle O’Reilly meet for a “Face to Face” segment mediated by NXT General Manager William Regal
Women’s Champion Raquel Gonzalez addresses Dakota Kai and their Takeover 36 match
Former WWE, TNA, WCW and NWA personality Jim Cornette recently discussed the NXT UK bout between WALTER and Ilja Dragunov. The two UK based Superstars had a brutal, bloody match for the WWE United Kingdom Championship that gained critical acclaim.
Cornette himself was a huge fan of the match itself. Discussing the bout on the Drive Thru podcast, Jim Cornette would say that this was how pro wrestling could, and should, have evolved.
Jim Cornette on WALTER vs Dragunov
“I tweeted that for all the people talking about ‘pro wrestling has to evolve and pro wrestling has evolved and pro wrestling has to modernise.’ Well this is what it COULD have evolved into” Cornette began on the podcast.
“That’s if it hadn’t been commandeered, taken, over co opted or otherwise run into the ground over the last 20 years by comedy writers and backyard cosplayers.”
Cornette would then praise the match further, saying “This was brilliant. And the evolution thing? Again it’s so ridiculous. When you have guys doing everything but sticking fireworks up their asses and running around playing f*cking hopscotch in the middle of the ring on one national programme?”
Jim Cornette would finish by discussing the disparity between this presentation from NXT UK and the rest of WWE’s output currently. “The major company that operates this little subsidiary [NXT UK] that just put on this classic? This Oscar winner? [WWE] has f*cking Judge Judy and People’s Court mashups on their network cable programme in this country! AND all this other tomfoolery and shenanigans!”
Do you agree with Jim Cornette? Have you seen Ilja Dragunov vs WALTER on NXT UK? Let us know in the comments
NXT UK Superstar Ilja Dragunov has opened up about his history and intense rivalry with current NXT United Kingdom Champion WALTER.
Speaking with Inside the Ropes, Dragunov reflected on their past working together on the independent circuit prior to reigniting their feud in WWE. According to him, WALTER has been instrumental in helping him to grow as a pro wrestler.
“I think he may have made a lot of my life, like, as a wrestler. He made me completely because every time we fought, it was like you had to really work for something, so much fight for something, I think it’s like WALTER and I fighting was meant to be, it’s like we need to fight each other,” Dragunov explained.
It was a beneficial competitive working relationship that both Superstars recognized almost as soon as they began working together. “[…] we recognised it very early, back in 2017, there was electricity when we both stepped into the ring. We had no choice but to just go at it.”
Dragunov believes their in-ring chemistry is “very unique” and believes performers should lean into the energy and intensity between them if it’s there. He noted how WALTER’s intensity is different from his own but stressed that these differences ultimately lead to key similarities:
“[…] we just hit each other like a lightning strike. And that’s something that people feel when we face each other.”
Ilja Dragunov and WALTER faced off during last week’s episode of NXT UK in a hard-hitting affair. Despite his best efforts, Dragunov would ultimately succumb to The Ring General.
WWE NXT UK Superstar Ilja Dragunov discussed what his career has been like since signing with WWE. Speaking with talkSPORT, Dragunov also opened up about working with WWE Hall of Famers Triple H and Shawn Michaels, as well as sharing his ambition of facing RAW Superstar Aleister Black.
“I get the feeling people understand me and that’s very important to me, it’s why I love my work here so much,” Dragunov said. “They understand what I’m doing without really telling them a lot. And in WWE, I’ve seen absolute professionals on a whole new level that I’ve never seen before, I don’t regret a single day that I’m here.”
Ilja Dragunov On Growing As A Performer
Ilja Dragunov expressed how working with legends like Triple H and Shawn Michaels allows him to learn from the very best. Dragunov explained how his experiences in WWE are a “completely new horizon” for him. “I know things I never thought I’d know and I see them from a different perspective. I’ve grown as a performer every single day. This is the most exciting time in my life.”
Having previously faced off against Cesaro and Finn Balor, Dragunov isn’t content with that being his last crossover with a main roster Superstar. He admitted there are a lot of names he would love to face, but one stands out more than others: Aleister Black.
“I think when it comes down to European names, guys like Aleister Black, who I knew before his time in WWE. I think we would connect very well and that’s a fight people would want to see, maybe.”
