Ilja Dragunov praises Shawn Michaels, challenges GUNTHER after main roster debut

Ilja Dragunov, known as “The Mad Dragon,” has been making waves in WWE since 2019. He started in NXT UK, where he became champion, before moving to NXT in the US in 2022. After a year in NXT, Dragunov won the NXT Championship from Wes Lee in September 2023. He held the title for over 200 days before losing it to Trick Williams.

Recently drafted to the main roster in 2024, Dragunov shared his experiences working with Shawn Michaels, the head of NXT. He praised Michaels as influential and one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, expressing appreciation for their shared vision and Michaels’ belief in his in-ring persona. Although Dragunov hasn’t been seen much on Raw since losing in the King of the Ring tournament, he has been challenging World Heavyweight Champion GUNTHER during WWE Live events leading up to Bash in Berlin.

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