Ilja Dragunov Reflects on Pushing Things to the Next Level Following Win on 5/6 WWE RAW

This week’s edition of Monday Night RAW welcomed former NXT champion Ilja Dragunov to its roster following his selection in the WWE Draft 2024, marking his official debut on the red brand.

In his inaugural appearance, Ilja Dragunov clashed with the dynamic ‘Highlight of the Night’ Ricochet in the opening round of the prestigious King of the Ring Tournament that is set to culminate in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia at the name-sake WWE PLE.

Both competitors delivered a spectacle of raw power, technical prowess, and breathtaking athleticism that captivated the audience and saw Dragunov emerge victorious over Ricochet, showcasing his resilience and determination.

Following the end of RAW, WWE correspondent Jackie Redmond interviewed with The Mad Dragon. Ilja reflected on his victory, having massive praise for Ricochet as a competitor and declaring that he pushed things to the next level on his first night as an official RAW superstar. Moreover, he felt extremely grateful for the warm reception by the audience in attendance to witness his performance.

“One thing is always for sure for me, I want to fight the best and Ricochet was certainly one of the best. But I talked about it, I made a promise, Ilja Dragunov promises things to the next level and that is exactly what I did this night, I pushed things to the next level.”

With this triumph, Ilja Dragunov advances to the next round of the King of the Ring tournament, facing Main Event Jey Uso next week on RAW and looking to establish himself as a formidable force on RAW with hopes of clinching the King of the Ring accolade in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

Do you think Ilja Dragunov could win the King of the Ring tournament after his first-round performance on RAW? Sound off in the comments!