Ilja Dragunov

Ilja Dragunov's career is defined by a series of historic firsts and critically acclaimed performances. He is the first non-kayfabe Russian-born male wrestler to win a championship in WWE, and the first wrestler ever to hold both the NXT United Kingdom Championship and the NXT Championship. His match against Gunther at NXT TakeOver 36 received a five-star rating from the Wrestling Observer Newsletter and is frequently cited as one of the greatest matches in WWE history. Across his career, he has won multiple championships in both WWE and on the European independent circuit, including the wXw Unified World Wrestling Championship, three wXw World Tag Team Championships, and two wXw Shotgun Championships. His relentless, hard-hitting style and ability to deliver emotionally charged performances have earned him a reputation as one of the most intense competitors in professional wrestling.