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The 2024 WWE Draft has turned out quite well for a handful of NXT performers. Between Friday Night SmackDown and Monday Night RAW, a total of seven NXT stars were called up to the main roster.
During Friday Night SmackDown, Carmelo Hayes and Baron Corbin were both drafted to the blue brand, while Kiana James was drafted to RAW. Meanwhile, Blair Davenport was drafted to SmackDown while Dijak and Lyra Valkyria were drafted to RAW last night.
The seventh call up, and arguably the most important, was Ilja Dragunov joining Monday Night RAW. The Mad Dragon is a former NXT Champion who had a showcase match just a few weeks ago where he defeated Shinsuke Nakamura on the red brand. Now he'll make that show his permanent home.
With The Mad Dragon officially making the jump from Ava's NXT to Adam Pearce's Monday Night RAW, his career will take a dramatic turn. This article will take a look at a handful of directions for the former NXT Champion now that he has moved to the flagship show of World Wrestling Entertainment.
Below are four directions for Ilja Dragunov on WWE RAW.
#4. He could feud with Gunther
Gunther, much like Ilja, is one of the best pro wrestlers in the world. He has been on an absolute tear in WWE, as he holds the record for the longest title reigns with both the United Kingdom Championship and the Intercontinental Title.
The Ring General and Ilja Dragunov aren't strangers to one another. The pair fought over the WWE United Kingdom Championship back when the NXT UK brand was still around. In fact, Ilja handed Gunther his first major loss in the company.
Fast forward to 2024 and now Gunther and Ilja are on the same brand together once again. The two renewing their rivalry on a much bigger stage makes a lot of sense and could lead to some of the best matches in pro wrestling today. It would absolutely cause a dramatic shift in what wrestlers do moving forward, as many would hope to emulate it.
#3. Ilja Dragunov could instead join Imperium
Imperium has been one of the most impressive factions in WWE since first being created on NXT UK half a decade ago. Originally, the group featured Gunther, Ludwig Kaiser, Giovanni Vinci, and Alexander Wolfe. The stable has since moved on to the main roster, but without Wolfe being part of it.
Unfortunately, the group is now down to just two members. Following a big loss on WWE RAW last week, Ludwig Kaiser brutalized Giovanni Vinci. The incredibly athletic Italian star has since been drafted away to Friday Night SmackDown.
The group clearly needs a new member to become a trio again. An interesting twist could be if Triple H books Ilja to join Imperium as opposed to being an enemy of the faction. Ilja fits in with the European excellence of the stable, even if his personality is more intense than the others.
#2. He could start a feud with Drew McIntyre
Drew McIntyre is a top star in World Wrestling Entertainment. He managed to win the WWE Championship twice during the pandemic, but the struggle of failing to win gold in front of fans led him down a dark path and a heel turn. Today, he remains a top star, but now as a villain.
The Scottish Psychopath has had some ups and downs lately. He won the World Heavyweight Championship during WWE WrestleMania XL Sunday, but he lost it in five minutes thanks to Damian Priest's Money in the Bank briefcase. He is now recovering from an arm injury.
Supposing that Drew heals up sooner rather than later, he and Ilja could absolutely tear it up if they were to fight. Both men are incredibly stiff and Dragunov fighting from underneath as an underdog could be fantastic to watch. Can The Mad Dragon handle The Scottish Cyborg?
#1. Ilja could challenge Sami Zayn for the WWE Intercontinental Championship
Sami Zayn is the ultimate underdog in WWE. While he may not be muscle bound or a giant, Sami is extremely likable and has more heart than any other performer. This causes fans to gravitate towards him and cheer Sami on.
The Underdog From The Underground is the reigning WWE Intercontinental Champion. He won the prized title by defeating Gunther in one of the best matches of WrestleMania weekend. This also ended Gunther's undefeated streak on the main roster.
Now that Sami is the champion, numerous stars are gunning for him including Chad Gable and Bronson Reed. Ilja Dragunov may soon add his name to the list. After holding the NXT Title, The Mad Dragon surely wants to add more gold to his resume. Battling Sami Zayn could be the best way he accomplishes this goal.
