Summary

Ilja Dragunov has already built a reputation on WWE's main roster through punishing matches with names like Carmelo Hayes and Sami Zayn, but he already has a few other opponents in mind.

During a recent interview, Dragunov said Penta, Sheamus and Rey Fenix are three WWE talents he would especially like to face. He also made it clear that he does not want to get too locked into fantasy booking, because he believes the best programs can come from matchups fans do not see coming.

Quote from Ilja Dragunov

While speaking on the Michael Fairman Channel, Dragunov said:

"I mean, it’s a kind of moment they’re like always excited about like the most unrealistic possibilities and always try, I’m a big person for the big things, the best things in life happen when you don’t expect them. Of course there are obvious ones, I would love to wrestle Penta. I would love to have a match with Sheamus. Fenix is another person I would love to wrestle. But also, I kind of like try to keep myself away from those thoughts because I believe if something comes with it which I never see coming, that’s going to be even more exciting for the people, and we got to figure out how you can flow into creating something that is very, very special because the people are very, very different."

What Dragunov's WWE list could lead to

Dragunov naming Penta, Sheamus and Rey Fenix points to the kind of hard-hitting and stylistically varied matches that would fit him well on Raw or SmackDown. A Sheamus match would lean into pure physicality, while bouts with Penta or Fenix would give WWE a very different kind of pace and presentation for Dragunov.

Even so, Dragunov's bigger point was that WWE does not always need to telegraph the obvious route. If he keeps stacking standout performances, the company has room to slot him into a feud that feels less predictable but still plays to the same intensity he brings every time he is in the ring.

Sources

Ilja Dragunov while speaking on the Michael Fairman Channel