In the vast landscape of WWE’s developmental brand, numerous rising talents have caught the attention of the main roster, ready to step into the spotlight on RAW or SmackDown. However, in a recent report, it appears that former NXT United Kingdom Champion Ilja Dragunov won’t be making the leap to the main roster anytime soon.
Having made his way to the revitalized developmental brand last year, Dragunov’s journey took an exciting turn as he earned the position of the number-one contender for Carmelo Hayes’ coveted NXT Championship. Their clash at the Great American Bash left the WWE Universe captivated, anticipating Dragunov’s potential promotion to the main roster. Nonetheless, Wrestling Observer Radio’s Dave Meltzer revealed that WWE has different plans for The Mad Russian, expressing that Dragunov won’t be making a move to the main roster in the immediate future.
Meltzer stated, “Dragunov is a guy who isn’t going to the main roster any time soon. I can see him being a guy who goes to the main roster like Ciampa, but in NXT the guy can be — like you can put that guy with anybody and he will carry that person and elevate that person to the greatest match of their lives.”
While Dragunov’s main roster aspirations seem to be on hold, he recently addressed rumors surrounding him joining WWE’s main roster to align with Imperium. In a conversation with Cultaholic, The Mad Russian dismissed the idea, highlighting the stark contrast between his emotional and intense character and the stoic demeanor of Imperium. Dragunov stated,
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“I mean, who would actually want that? There is no more people with more differences than me towards Imperium.”
As Dragunov sets his sights on the future in the developmental brand, his former rival, Gunther, prepares for one of the most significant title defenses of his reign. At WWE SummerSlam 2023, Gunther will face the formidable Drew McIntyre, adding another electrifying chapter to the unfolding saga in WWE.
