Ilja Dragunov Credits His Matches With Gunther for Getting Him to a High Level

– During a recent interview with the Daily Star, WWE Superstar Ilja Dragunov discussed his iconic matches with reigning World Heavyweight Champion Gunther and how they brought him to a higher level. Below are some highlights (via Fightful):

Ilja Dragunov on possibly facing Gunther again: “There is a reason why people are still talking about those matches, even after a long time where we didn’t see each other. Those matches really laid the standard for what the European style is able to do. Of course, I pay attention to his work. As much as he is a rival for me, he also made me the person and performer that I am today.”

On Gunther getting him to a higher level: “The reason why I’m at such a high level is because of him. You always need somebody who pushes you to your limit so you can realize where that is and you can focus on how you can get better. You need that person where you know, ‘I can be as good as you. I can be better than you.’ This is the kind of tension that draws people to want to see more. People are talking about this because they want to see more of that. There is a reason why he’s the World Heavyweight Champion.”

As noted, Dragunov will be competing in the tournament to earn a shot at the WWE Intercontinental Championship. Dragunov will face Dragon Lee and Dominik Mysterio in a first-round triple threat matchup on next week’s WWE Raw. Next week’s show is being held at the Ball Arena in Denver, Colorado on Monday, September 2. The show will be broadcast live on USA Network starting at 8:00 pm EST.