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Earlier today, it was announced that WWE will present their first ever premium live event in Germany, with Bash in Berlin set to take place on Saturday, August 31, 2024.
This premium live event will no doubt present the company with the chance to push many stars ahead of the show, most notably their European performers, as the crowd will be looking to cheer on their own.
Join us as we look at four European WWE Superstars who can be pushed by company higher-ups ahead of the huge show next year.
#4. Lyra Valkyria moves up to WWE's main roster
Last night on NXT, the young Irish star Lyra Valkyria picked up the biggest win of her early WWE career as she defeated Becky Lynch to become the new NXT Women's Champion.
While she is currently on the company's third brand, the 27-year-old is no doubt set for even bigger matches on WWE's main roster further down the line. If she is called up to the main roster before Bash in Berlin, then do not be surprised if the company looks to put her in a prominent spot in front of a European crowd.
During a recent exclusive interview with Sportskeeda Wrestling, WWE veteran Natalya named Valkyria as someone she'd like to face in the future:
"Just recently Lyra from NXT, she's been coming down to our ring and working with us, and she is so impressive, and she is somebody that I really, really want to work with in the future. So it's also very inspiring for me as well because I get excited about the different women that I get a chance to work with, and I get a little bit of them right before they make it up onto the main roster." [From 12:04 – 12:27] [H/T Sportskeeda]
#3. Butch makes it big
One WWE star that many fans have yearned to see have a breakout moment on RAW or SmackDown for quite some time now is the former NXT UK Champion Butch (a.k.a. Pete Dunne).
The English star has been part of the company since 2017, with his early singles matches catching the eyes of many both in and out of World Wrestling Entertainment.
However, since moving up to SmackDown, he has gone by a new ring name and has worked solely as a tag team star in the Brawling Brutes. Despite this faction being popular, many would like to see him go his own way and capture singles gold.
#2. The Ring General moves up in the world
Today, in pro wrestling, there is arguably no more significant European pro wrestler than Gunther. The Ring General has dominated over the past year and a half and has become the longest-reigning Intercontinental Champion in WWE history, with his current reign at 502 days.
Having held the IC Title for quite some time now and with Bash in Berlin being very close to his home country of Austria, the show could be the perfect location for him to walk in as the new World Heavyweight Champion.
Speaking to Steve Fall, Gunther was asked if he has any plans to merge Seth Rollins' World Title with his Intercontinental belt:
"If I'm still the Intercontinental Champion, which I'm planning to be, I do not think so actually,” Gunther said via Fightful. “The new World Heavyweight Championship just got introduced, so I think there is no interest by anyone to merge that again with another title, which [a match between the two] kind of automatically would do. I think we're in two different divisions right now when it comes to that, but down the line, everything is possible, I would say." (H/T Clutch Points)
#1. The NXT Champ wins big in Europe
Like Gunther, another hard-hitting European that many fans want to see do great things is Ilja Dragunov.
Speaking to Under The Ring last month, Dragunov was asked who he is looking forward to facing when he moves up to either RAW or SmackDown:
"This company is filled with an unlimited amount of great talent. So, I think there's so many people I could create something special with," he said. "One of the people that comes to my mind is definitely Shinsuke Nakamura, people like Seth Rollins who also have all this artistic expressive way with the people. You see how over he is and how much attention he gets." Dragunov added: "As long as the chance is still there, maybe with one of the people who have been the first I have been watching, like Rey Mysterio, for example." (H/T Wrestling Inc)
The 30-year-old is the current NXT Champion and, like many before him, he is more than ready for the main roster.
