Ilja Dragunov Looks Back On Matches With Current WWE Champ GUNTHER

Before both men made their main roster debuts, Ilja Dragunov and GUNTHER tore the house down in a series of mat classics on "WWE NXT." While speaking to "The Daily Star," Dragunov reflected on why he thought fans still talk about those intensely physical encounters years later.

"I think, first of all, those matches really laid the standard for what the European talent is able to do. And of course, I pay attention to [GUNTHER's] work... As much as he is a rival for me, he also made me the person I am today and the performer I am today. And the reason why I am such a high level in what I do is definitely him, because you definitely need somebody who pushes you really, really to your limit, so you can actually realize where that is."

Dragunov first tangled with GUNTHER — then known as WALTER — during the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic. Their feud over the NXT UK Championship culminated in a match that earned the coveted five-star rating from Dave Meltzer on the October 29 episode of "NXT UK." Like Ricky Steamboat versus Ric Flair or Steve Austin versus The Rock, Dragunov and GUNTHER have become defined by their rivalry, with Dragunov emphasizing how their series of matchups helped bring out the best in both men.

"You always need that kind of person where, you know, 'Okay, I wanna be as good as you, I wanna get better [than] you.' And I think this is the kind of tension that drives people to want to see more."

Dragunov and GUNTHER were recently matched up again during two European live events as part of the Road to Bash in Berlin, with GUNTHER emerging victorious. Both men have come far since their "NXT UK" days as well, with GUNTHER heading into his match with Randy Orton at WWE Bash In Berlin as the WWE World Heavyweight Champion.