The current NXT Champion is not long for the brand, making us ask…could Ilja Dragunov be pushed on the WWE main roster like Gunther?
Dragunov has long been poised for a main roster call-up. And given we are just days away from WrestleMania 40, it’s a great time to talk about that. After all, the RAW after WrestleMania has at times been known as a big night for NXT Superstars to graduate.
Of course, in recent years, this has been less frequent, making the show after ‘Mania to be less electric than it once was. The RAW after WrestleMania 39 was, by many accounts, a dud. It was also under Vince McMahon’s creative influence more than anyone else, and it showed. Which is why fans are a bit excited for the April 8 show-it will be the first RAW after ‘Mania for Triple H.
When is his time?
So will we see Ilja Dragunov called up? According to Fightful, his main roster arrival is not imminent, but is still expected eventually. The champion does have a big title defense coming up, and whether he retains or not may drive speculation a bit. After all, you don’t normally expect the champion to retain and arrive on RAW (but it has happened before).
Knowing that there are no imminent plans as of now, what are the likely plans whenever it does happen? According to the report, there are some who suspect he will arrive and be pushed much like we saw another European Superstar-Gunther. While it was not said, it is worth calling something out. While in NXT, Gunther and Ilja Dragunov had some wars. I’ve been watching professional wrestling since I was a kid, way longer than I want to admit. Their battles were some of the most physical matches I’ve ever seen. So…could we see Dragunov arrive and be pushed and ultimately be the one to unseat Gunther?
I mean…it isn’t the worst idea I’ve heard, to be honest. For now, he remains NXT Champion, so his focus is there. On one hand, I appreciate that no one is out and out saying “he’s coming up next week”. And honestly, maybe he is. I doubt that someone would be that transparent nowadays, but who knows. I maintain that, when it matters most, this current WWE regime will do more to keep some secrets than others. Perfect example being Punk’s return last year-something few actually knew about until it was happening.
Regardless of when he does arrive, either on RAW or SmackDown, it seems we can expect bigger things for Ilja Dragunov in WWE.
