Former WWE NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov sustained a major injury on WWE Raw during his match. Dragunov has been targeted by Bron Breakker for weeks. He competed against Breakker in a number-one contendership match for the Intercontinental Title on WWE Raw.
Dragunov, who made the transition to the main roster a few months ago after the WWE Draft, quickly impressed fans with his performances against top stars like Ricochet, Bron Breakker, Sami Zayn, and Jey Uso.
Meanwhile, Ilja Dragunov and Bron Breakker‘s rivalry intensified with a brutal number-one contender’s match for Sami Zayn’s Intercontinental Championship. The two titans have been locked in a fierce feud for months.
During the high-stakes match, Dragunov attempted a daring move from the apron but was met with a devastating spear from Breakker. The impact sent Dragunov crashing headfirst into the ring apron. Unable to continue, the referee called for the bell as Ilja Dragunov suffered an injury, awarding the victory and the number one contender spot to Bron Breakker for WWE SummerSlam.
Ilja Dragunov has faced a series of unfortunate setbacks despite being a former NXT champion. However, WWE Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn has showered Dragunov with high praise, recognizing his talent.
Sami Zayn on Ilja Dragunov: How he elevates the art of wrestling
Ilja Dragunov missed the opportunity to face Intercontinental Champion Sami Zayn. However, Zayn remains highly impressed with The Mad Dragon’s performance. During a recent interview with Wrestling Inc, Zayn praised Dragunov’s unique ability to convey the intensity of wrestling.
He stated, “I think [Dragunov] is really good. He has something that not a lot of people have, which is an innate understanding of the struggle that makes wrestling a beautiful thing. When he’s in there, it looks like he’s fighting for his life. There’s a lot of great guys, a lot of great performers in WWE, but very few have that quality where you just really believe that this guy is deep in the trenches and it’s taking everything in him just to keep his head above water. I think that’s a great quality to have in a wrestler, and he’s got it. I don’t see it very often, and he’s definitely got it.”
The former NXT Champion has struggled to maintain consistent momentum on the main roster. Despite several losses, fans have not given up on The Mad Dragon, who continues to receive strong support.
