WWE NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov Makes Main Roster Debut on 4/8 WWE RAW

The RAW after WrestleMania is always known for the magnanimous aura and presence of the WWE Universe, inducing a different kind of energy along with the sight of some surprises, which also happened on tonight’s edition of Monday Night RAW following WrestleMania 40.

As the show kicked off its first in-ring encounter of the night, it featured the King of Strong Style, Shinsuke Nakamura set to square off against the champion of WWE’s developmental territory, NXT, Ilja Dragunov.

The Mad Dragon has been known to be one of the most remarkable prospects in WWE NXT, who recently defended his NXT championship successfully against Tony D’Angelo at NXT Stand and Deliver as part of the WrestleMania week.

Dragunov went head-to-head against a top-tier star in Shinsuke Nakamura, also a former NXT champion in his own right, and fought valiantly on his first main roster match as the crowd was firmly in his corner. That proved to be an excellent fire to fuel his desire and helped him put down Nakamura with his finishing maneuver to clinch the victory.

With the WWE Draft coming up and Ilja already declared to be a part of it, it will be interesting to see if any of the main roster WWE brands i.e., RAW or SmackDown would put their claim in acquiring the NXT champion for their show.

What are your thoughts on Ilja Dragunov’s debut on the RAW after WrestleMania 40? Sound off in the comments!