5 things you didn't know about Ilja Dragunov

#4 Ilja worked many jobs before becoming a wrestler

Dragunov wasn't always a pro wrestler

Like many others, Ilja Dragunov wasn't always a professional wrestler. The NXT UK star worked several jobs before making it to the squared circle. As mentioned in the previous slide, having come from an impoverished childhood, the Moscow-born star knew he had to make money somehow.

I soon realised that I needed to work for the things I needed and I can't whine when things are not going the way I want. That means I had quite a number of jobs.

I had every c****y job there is. I worked at a gas station, I had a job as custodial staff, worked at a pizza parlour - that's behind me now. I was screamed at by quite a number of people.

Dragunov credits those jobs and his upbringing for his mentality now, though, stating that he takes nothing for granted and appreciates everything because he had so little as a child.

In fact, when Ilja started training at wXw, he had nothing.

One fellow wrestler said Dragunov ate at his place because he had no food - and that Dragunov found a functioning family in wrestling, and with his wife and child.