.jpg/1889px-Ilja_Dragunov_16_Carat_Gold_2020_N3_(2).jpg)
Community hub
Recent from talks
Knowledge base stats:
Talk channels stats:
Members stats:
Ilja Dragunov
Ilja Rukober (born 10 October 1993), known by his ring name Ilja Dragunov is a Russian-born, German naturalised professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand and is the current WWE United States Champion in his first reign. He formerly competed on the NXT UK and NXT brands, where he won each brand's main title: the NXT United Kingdom Championship and the NXT Championship. He is the first non-kayfabe Russian-born male wrestler to compete and win a championship in the WWE.
Before signing with WWE, Rukober competed on the European independent circuit and is also known for his time with Westside Xtreme Wrestling (wXw), where he is a former Unified World Wrestling Champion, three-time wXw World Tag Team Champion and two-time wXw Shotgun Champion. He is also best known for his inter-promotional rivalry with Walter, which spans from wXw, when, notably, Dragunov won the 2017 16 Carat Gold tournament and the Unified World Wrestling Championship against him the next year, to the NXT UK and NXT brands, when Dragunov and Walter had two Wrestling Observer Newsletter rated five-plus-star matches for the NXT United Kingdom Championship, the second of which Dragunov won at NXT TakeOver 36.
Ilya Rukober was born in Moscow, Russia, and migrated to Berlin, Germany with his mother when he was five years old. During this move, neither he nor his mother could speak the German language. He holds German nationality. Prior to entering wrestling, Rukober worked various jobs from a young age to help provide for his family, including working at a pizza parlor and a gas station.
Rukober started his professional wrestling training at the German Wrestling Federation (GWF) training school under veterans Axel Tischer (who wrestled for WWE under the ring name Alexander Wolfe) and Rick Baxxter. He made his in-ring debut in 2012. A year later, he became a regular with wXw and would remain there until signing with WWE.
On 14 May 2018 at Super Strong Style 16, wXw general manager Christian Michael Jakobi arrived in Progress Wrestling, and challenged Pete Dunne to a match with Dragunov at an undetermined date. At Chapter 69, Dragunov appeared in the promotion for the first time, squaring off with Dunne, much to Jakobi's delight. At Chapter 72, Dunne accepted the challenge and the match would be set at Progress' upcoming event at Wembley Arena. At Chapter 75, Jakobi continued to insult Dunne, to which he would drag Jakobi to the ring to attack him, before Dragunov made the save and the two faced off again. During Progress' tour of Germany, at the Oberhausen show, Dunne called out Dragunov, following British Strong Style's win over Rise (Ivan Kiev, Lucky Kid and Pete Bouncer). Once again, the two had a scuffle which had to be broken up by the officials. On 1 October, Dragunov's debut match for Progress ended in defeat, when Dunne trapped Dragunov's arm and then manipulated his hand to force the submission.
Dragunov began 2019 with a win over Timothy Thatcher at Chapter 83, but did not appear for the promotion until Super Strong Style 16. On night one, Dragunov defeated Chris Brookes in the first round. On night two, he quickly defeated Trevor Lee in the quarter-final, and on night three, he was in a three-way elimination match in the semi-final with David Starr and Travis Banks. Dragunov was the first wrestler to be eliminated when Banks defeated him by pinfall. At Chapter 91, he defeated Jordan Devlin in a number one contender match for the Unified World Championship, but the following day, at Chapter 92, he was defeated by Walter.
At Chapter 95, Dragunov took part in a rumble match for the Proteus Championship, which replaced the Atlas Championship. Dragunov entered in at number two in the match, and eliminated Niwa, TK Cooper and Chuck Mambo, before he and William Eaver simultaneously eliminated each other. From October to December, he was involved in a series of matches with Cara Noir. Having traded wins over each other at Chapter 96 and Chapter 97, the feud was ended at Chapter 99 in a two out of three falls match, in which Dragunov lost.
During January 2019, it was reported that Rukober would be signing with WWE, with the intention of performing for the promotion's NXT UK brand. He previously had a tryout for the promotion in November 2013, but suffered a skull injury which kept him out for almost a year. He had a second tryout in Cologne during WWE's European tour in November 2018, where he was said to have "turned heads". On 27 February 2019, WWE officially announced his signing. On the 15 May episode of NXT UK (taped 19 April), Dragunov made his debut for the brand as a face, defeating Jack Starz. He then began a short undefeated streak, defeating Joseph Conners on the 12 June episode (taped 20 April), and Ashton Smith on 10 July episode (taped 16 June). However, this ended on 15 August episode (taped 19 July), when Dragunov was defeated by Kassius Ohno. On 31 August, at NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff, Dragunov answered Cesaro's open challenge in a losing effort.
Hub AI
Ilja Dragunov AI simulator
(@Ilja Dragunov_simulator)
Ilja Dragunov
Ilja Rukober (born 10 October 1993), known by his ring name Ilja Dragunov is a Russian-born, German naturalised professional wrestler. He is signed to WWE, where he performs on the SmackDown brand and is the current WWE United States Champion in his first reign. He formerly competed on the NXT UK and NXT brands, where he won each brand's main title: the NXT United Kingdom Championship and the NXT Championship. He is the first non-kayfabe Russian-born male wrestler to compete and win a championship in the WWE.
Before signing with WWE, Rukober competed on the European independent circuit and is also known for his time with Westside Xtreme Wrestling (wXw), where he is a former Unified World Wrestling Champion, three-time wXw World Tag Team Champion and two-time wXw Shotgun Champion. He is also best known for his inter-promotional rivalry with Walter, which spans from wXw, when, notably, Dragunov won the 2017 16 Carat Gold tournament and the Unified World Wrestling Championship against him the next year, to the NXT UK and NXT brands, when Dragunov and Walter had two Wrestling Observer Newsletter rated five-plus-star matches for the NXT United Kingdom Championship, the second of which Dragunov won at NXT TakeOver 36.
Ilya Rukober was born in Moscow, Russia, and migrated to Berlin, Germany with his mother when he was five years old. During this move, neither he nor his mother could speak the German language. He holds German nationality. Prior to entering wrestling, Rukober worked various jobs from a young age to help provide for his family, including working at a pizza parlor and a gas station.
Rukober started his professional wrestling training at the German Wrestling Federation (GWF) training school under veterans Axel Tischer (who wrestled for WWE under the ring name Alexander Wolfe) and Rick Baxxter. He made his in-ring debut in 2012. A year later, he became a regular with wXw and would remain there until signing with WWE.
On 14 May 2018 at Super Strong Style 16, wXw general manager Christian Michael Jakobi arrived in Progress Wrestling, and challenged Pete Dunne to a match with Dragunov at an undetermined date. At Chapter 69, Dragunov appeared in the promotion for the first time, squaring off with Dunne, much to Jakobi's delight. At Chapter 72, Dunne accepted the challenge and the match would be set at Progress' upcoming event at Wembley Arena. At Chapter 75, Jakobi continued to insult Dunne, to which he would drag Jakobi to the ring to attack him, before Dragunov made the save and the two faced off again. During Progress' tour of Germany, at the Oberhausen show, Dunne called out Dragunov, following British Strong Style's win over Rise (Ivan Kiev, Lucky Kid and Pete Bouncer). Once again, the two had a scuffle which had to be broken up by the officials. On 1 October, Dragunov's debut match for Progress ended in defeat, when Dunne trapped Dragunov's arm and then manipulated his hand to force the submission.
Dragunov began 2019 with a win over Timothy Thatcher at Chapter 83, but did not appear for the promotion until Super Strong Style 16. On night one, Dragunov defeated Chris Brookes in the first round. On night two, he quickly defeated Trevor Lee in the quarter-final, and on night three, he was in a three-way elimination match in the semi-final with David Starr and Travis Banks. Dragunov was the first wrestler to be eliminated when Banks defeated him by pinfall. At Chapter 91, he defeated Jordan Devlin in a number one contender match for the Unified World Championship, but the following day, at Chapter 92, he was defeated by Walter.
At Chapter 95, Dragunov took part in a rumble match for the Proteus Championship, which replaced the Atlas Championship. Dragunov entered in at number two in the match, and eliminated Niwa, TK Cooper and Chuck Mambo, before he and William Eaver simultaneously eliminated each other. From October to December, he was involved in a series of matches with Cara Noir. Having traded wins over each other at Chapter 96 and Chapter 97, the feud was ended at Chapter 99 in a two out of three falls match, in which Dragunov lost.
During January 2019, it was reported that Rukober would be signing with WWE, with the intention of performing for the promotion's NXT UK brand. He previously had a tryout for the promotion in November 2013, but suffered a skull injury which kept him out for almost a year. He had a second tryout in Cologne during WWE's European tour in November 2018, where he was said to have "turned heads". On 27 February 2019, WWE officially announced his signing. On the 15 May episode of NXT UK (taped 19 April), Dragunov made his debut for the brand as a face, defeating Jack Starz. He then began a short undefeated streak, defeating Joseph Conners on the 12 June episode (taped 20 April), and Ashton Smith on 10 July episode (taped 16 June). However, this ended on 15 August episode (taped 19 July), when Dragunov was defeated by Kassius Ohno. On 31 August, at NXT UK TakeOver: Cardiff, Dragunov answered Cesaro's open challenge in a losing effort.