Ilja Dragunov has offered major praise for GUNTHER while reflecting on the relationship and rivalry that helped define both wrestlers’ rise through professional wrestling.
Speaking on the Battleground Podcast, Dragunov described GUNTHER as a close friend, a formative rival, and a wrestler he believes will ultimately stand among the greatest performers the industry has ever produced. Their history stretches back to 2015, well before either man reached WWE’s global stage, and includes frequent encounters during their time in Germany’s wXw promotion before their rivalry later carried into NXT UK.
For Dragunov, GUNTHER was not simply an opponent who pushed him to have stronger matches. He was a direct influence on the development of Dragunov’s identity as a performer. The AEW star said the most important leaps in his own progression repeatedly came after sharing the ring with the man now established as one of WWE’s leading names.
“Gunther [is] a dear friend of mine since, I don’t know, [since] 2015. Like, so for such a long time, no other person in professional wrestling forged me more than he. [He’s] A mastermind. He is one of the greatest, and he will be one of the greatest of all time when he decides to leave the boots in the ring.”
For more background on this topic, read Grayson Waller Says He Felt WWE Release Was Possible Before NXT Return.
The comments underline the uncommon depth of the connection between the two wrestlers. Professional wrestling has no shortage of rivals whose careers become linked by a series of notable bouts, but Dragunov and GUNTHER’s relationship has been built over more than a decade. They rose through the same German scene, faced each other regularly, and continued to be associated with one another as their profiles expanded internationally.
That shared foundation matters in the way Dragunov speaks about GUNTHER. His praise is not limited to star power, championship success, or the physical authority GUNTHER brings to the ring. Instead, Dragunov focused on the lessons gained through direct interaction with a fellow wrestler who knew him before both performers reached their highest-profile stages.
A rivalry that fueled Dragunov’s growth
Dragunov said his biggest periods of advancement as a professional wrestler followed his matches with GUNTHER. It is a revealing assessment because it places those contests at the center of his creative and competitive evolution.
Rather than portraying their rivalry as a simple battle between two athletes trying to surpass one another, Dragunov characterized it as a demanding learning experience. GUNTHER’s willingness to be candid, in his view, made him a better wrestler. That candor appears to be the quality Dragunov values most when looking back at their many years of familiarity.
“I mean, like, all the biggest peaks of progression I always had when I faced him. It’s just as simple as that. What I could take [from GUNTHER] is, like, directness always gives you the best enhancement of your talents and strengths. So, he was always very straightforward with me, no sugarcoating.”
There is a significant difference between broad encouragement and the kind of blunt feedback Dragunov described. In an industry where performers are constantly attempting to refine their presentation, build confidence, and find the strongest version of their in-ring style, a trusted rival who refuses to soften criticism can become an especially valuable presence.
Dragunov’s remarks suggest that GUNTHER filled that role throughout their shared ascent. The directness was not framed as hostility. On the contrary, Dragunov called him a dear friend. The result was a relationship in which honest evaluation and intense competition could exist alongside genuine respect.
That combination helped make their rivalry meaningful beyond any one match or promotion. They first wrestled frequently in wXw, then brought their long-running conflict to NXT UK. Every step added another layer to a story rooted in familiarity: two wrestlers who understood each other’s strengths, knew what the other could endure, and continued to demand more whenever they met.
Dragunov’s view of GUNTHER’s legacy
GUNTHER’s standing in WWE has continued to grow, and Dragunov is convinced that his former rival’s eventual legacy will match the scale of his current accomplishments. Calling someone one of the greatest is substantial praise on its own. Saying that wrestler will be viewed as one of the greatest of all time once his career is complete is an even stronger statement.
Dragunov credited GUNTHER’s mind for professional wrestling as much as any visible accomplishment, calling him “a mastermind.” The description fits the broader point he made about being forged by their interactions. Dragunov sees GUNTHER as someone whose value comes from precision, clear standards, and an ability to identify what will sharpen another wrestler’s talents.
GUNTHER’s WWE career has provided further grounds for that confidence. He has become WWE World Heavyweight Champion, retired legends John Cena and AJ Styles, and helped establish a path toward a bright future in WWE. Those achievements have moved him far beyond the role of a standout performer from a highly regarded rivalry and into the position of a defining presence for the company.
From Dragunov’s perspective, however, the championship résumé is only part of the story. His comments focused on the long-term qualities that he believes will ensure GUNTHER’s place in history: intelligence, honesty, consistency, and the ability to force those around him to rise to a higher level.
It is also notable that Dragunov’s prediction is based on personal experience across different phases of both men’s careers. He knew GUNTHER before WWE prominence, wrestled him repeatedly in Germany, and shared the next chapter of their rivalry in NXT UK. That makes the endorsement less like a reaction to a current title reign and more like a conclusion drawn from years of firsthand exposure.
The WWE path that did not continue for Dragunov
GUNTHER had previously spoken positively about Dragunov’s potential as well. In 2024, he predicted that Dragunov could become the next major thing on WWE’s main roster. Given the history between the two, that assessment carried obvious weight. GUNTHER had seen Dragunov’s development up close and understood what he could bring when placed in a high-pressure setting.
Many expected Dragunov to follow a comparable route and emerge as a more prominent figure on WWE’s main roster. That did not ultimately happen. Dragunov’s main-roster run lasted two years, and he is now with AEW.
The change in promotions has not altered the respect in Dragunov’s words. His interview did not present his path as a reason to diminish GUNTHER’s success or their shared history. Instead, Dragunov emphasized the role GUNTHER played in preparing him for the demands of professional wrestling and in unlocking the best parts of his own ability.
That perspective is especially striking because their careers have now moved in different directions. GUNTHER remains one of WWE’s central figures, while Dragunov has entered a new stage as an AEW wrestler. Yet the rivalry remains a major reference point for Dragunov, not as a closed chapter but as a foundational part of the wrestler he became.
Respect that outlasts the rivalry
Dragunov and GUNTHER’s story demonstrates how rivalries can extend beyond wins, losses, titles, or a single company. Their professional connection has endured from wXw to NXT UK and now through careers that are no longer taking place under the same banner.
For Dragunov, GUNTHER was a measuring stick, an opponent, and a trusted friend whose straightforwardness had a lasting impact. The most important takeaway from his comments is not merely that he thinks GUNTHER is exceptional. It is that he credits GUNTHER with helping create the conditions for his own greatest growth.
As GUNTHER continues his WWE run after becoming World Heavyweight Champion and retiring Cena and Styles, Dragunov’s assessment adds a personal dimension to the conversation around his legacy. In the eyes of someone who has known him since 2015 and faced him through multiple stages of their lives in wrestling, GUNTHER is already among the elite. Dragunov expects the final judgment of history to place him there as well.
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Darryl Polo
Darryl Polo is a passionate wrestling fan covering WWE, AEW, TNA and beyond. He loves great rivalries, breakout stars and the moments that keep fans talking long after the bell. How we work.