In a move that shouldn't have been too surprising, considering how his run with the NXT Championship came to an end at Spring Breakin' 2024, Ilja Dragunov officially heard his name called on Day 2 of the 2024 WWE Draft, joining fellow former NXT standouts Kiana James and Lyra Valkyria on the RAW starting next Monday.

Now, for long-time fans of Dragunov, from UK grappling experts to the NXT faithful, and even famous fellow workers like Kenny Omega, this announcement was massive, as it presents the 30-year-old grappler from Russia with a whole new collection of opponents to throw down with on the main roster, including some he's wrestled before in NXT like Ludwig Kaiser and Bron Breakker.

Taking an interview with Jackie Redmond immediately after his pick was announced, Dragunov celebrated his special moment surrounded by his fellow PC Center prospects, as NXT had become his home away from home after the end of NXT UK.

“I have no words, for me, NXT became my home. These people, a lot of these people, they became like a home away from home for me, but now it's time for my next chapter, and I've got to make a promise, one promise that I already kept here, to every place I come, to push the place to the next level,” Ilja Dragunov told Jackie Redmond on RAW. “That's what I do, that's what I did with NXT, and this is the same thing I do when I come to RAW with uncomparable passion and uncomparable intensity. And trust me, no one is prepared, and no one is safe anymore when the ‘Mad Dragon' arrives.”

Asked how it felt to make so many friends in NXT since joining the promotion in 2022, Dragunov shared a moment of reflection, celebrating how his fellow NXT members have made Orlando feel like home.

“It's amazing, I never expected it, I never expected be so far from home, the places I came before, I find home again,” Dragunov added. “And there are beautiful people here who push me as much as I pushed everything else, and I will be always grateful for that.”

Last but not least, Dragunov was asked about being on the same roster as Gunther, the man he defeated for the NXT UK Championship back in 2021. How does Dragunov feel to be on the same roster as the “Ring General” all of these years later? Well, for the “Mad Dragon,” only one word comes to mind.

“I think there's only one word that describes it: destiny,” Dragunov declared.

Well, folks, it's official: Dragunov and Gunther are back on the same roster. While it's impossible to know when they'll be in the ring together – let alone if they will be friends or foes – it's safe to say that when that day comes, it has the potential to be one of the best matches in WWE history.

Gunther believes Ilja Dragonov is better off as a foe than a friend.

So, with Gunther and Ilja Dragunov now on the same WWE main roster, fans should expect the latter to imminently join the former in Imperium, especially now that they have an opening following the exit of Giovani Vinci from the faction's ranks, right? Booker T certainly thinks so, but what about Gunther? Well, in an interview with Gorilla Position, the “Ring General” shut that idea down on the spot, noting that he believes that he and Dragunov are much better off as foes than friends.

“I think Ilja [Dragunov] is a better enemy than a friend. Yeah, it has to come down to that. He’s one of us in terms of Kaiser, Ilja, and I, we all have wrestled each other years back,” Gunther explained via Rindside News. “So, I naturally want him to be where I am, and I think he’s somebody that brings out the best in me, and I’m someone that brings out the best in him. I think before it can happen, he has his own way to go, wherever he ends up.”

Welp, there you have it, folks; Dragonov doesn't want to be in Imperium, Gunther doesn't really want him to be in Imperium, and the only people who seem to like the idea aren't familiar with their previous battles in the first place. Still, it seems like fans are going to keep suggesting it until something goes down between the duo either way, so who knows, maybe the duo will end up working together one way or another, even if it ultimately results in the duo breaking up and entering a brand new feud not too dissimilar from the ones that came before it.