Ilja Dragunov

Real Name: Ilya Rukober
Height: 5’10”
Weight: 198 lbs.
Date of Birth:
From: Moscow, Russia
Resides: Dresden, Germany
Pro Debut: April 21, 2012
Trained By: Axel Tischer & Rick Baxxter
Finishing Move: Torpedo Moskau

Biography

– Rukober began his career in Germany’s GWF promotion as ‘Ilja Dragunov’
– Dragunov won the 2013 wXw Mitteldeutschland Cup, defeating Emil Sitoci, Michael Isotov & Jay Skillet in the 4-Way Final
– Dragunov won the 2013 EW-COM Ringmaster Tournament, defeating Pascal Spalter & Robert Kaiser in the 3-Way Final
– On August 18, 2013, Dragunov defeated Toby Blunt in the final of a tournament to become the first wXw Shotgun Champion
– On October 5, Dragunov defeated Carnage by DQ to retain the wXw Shotgun Title
– On October 20, Dragunov defeated Robert Schild by DQ to retain the wXw Shotgun Title
– On October 25, Dragunov defeated Robert Schild in a Flag Match to retain the wXw Shotgun Title
– On November 16, Dragunov defeated Michael Schenkenberg to retain the wXw Shotgun Title. Dragunov suffered an injury during the match, keeping him out for the next six months
– On December 21, 2014, Dragunov defeated Zero Samurai to win the Next Step Title
– On March 7, 2015, Dragunov defeated John Klinger in a Wladiwostok Rules Match to regain the wXw Shotgun Title
– The next day, Dragunov defeated Axel Tischer to retain the wXw Shotgun Title
– On March 28, Dragunov again defeated Axel Tischer to retain the wXw Shotgun Title
– The next day, Dragunov defeated Da Mack to retain the wXw Shotgun Title
– On April 10, Dragunov defeated Miguel Ramirez to retain the wXw Shotgun Title
– On April 24, Dragunov defeated Marius Al-Ani & Jurn Simmons to retain the wXw Shotgun Title
– The next day, Dragunov defeated Lucky Kid & Kim Ray to retain the wXw Shotgun Title
– On May 2, Dragunov defeated Jurn Simmons to retain the wXw Shotgun Title
– On May 29, Dragunov defeated Tommaso Ciampa to retain the wXw Shotgun Title
– The next day, Dragunov defeated Andre Trucker to retain the Next Step Title
– On June 6, Dragunov defeated Toby Blunt to retain the wXw Shotgun Title
– On June 13, Dragunov defeated John Klinger to retain the wXw Shotgun Title
– On July 18, Dragunov defeated Marius Al-Ani to retain the Next Step Title
– On August 1, Dragunov defeated Robert Kaiser to retain the Next Step Title
– Later that month, Dragunov formed the Cerberus stable, alongside Julian Nero & Robert Dreissker
– On December 12, Cerberus (Dragunov & Robert Dreissker) defeated Big Daddy Walter & Zack Sabre Jr to win the wXw Tag Team Titles. Julian Nero was also recognised as champion under the Freebird Rule
– On February 6, 2016, Cerberus (Dragunov & Julian Nero) defeated The Sumerian Death Squad (Michael Dante & Tommy End) by DQ to retain the wXw Tag Team Titles
– On February 20, Dragunov defeated Johnny Rancid & Franz Engel to retain the Next Step Title
– On March 5, Cerberus (Dragunov & Julian Nero) defeated Hot And Spicy (Axel Dieter Jr & Da Mack) to retain the wXw Tag Team Titles
– On March 13, Cerberus (Dragunov & Nero) defeated Shane Strickland & David Starr to retain the wXw Tag Team Titles
– On April 3, Cerberus (Dragunov & Nero) defeated Marius Al-Ani & Absolute Andy to retain the wXw Tag Team Titles
– On May 7, Dragunov defeated The Grannatic to retain the Next Step Title
– On June 4, Cerberus (Dragunov, Julian Nero & Dirty Dragan) defeated Legion (Michael Dante, Tommy End & Mikey Whiplash) to regain the wXw Tag Team Titles
– On August 27, Cerberus (Dragunov & Julian Nero) defeated Legion (Mikey Whiplash & Michael Dante) to retain the wXw Tag Team Titles
– On September 16, Cerberus (Dragunov & Nero) defeated A4 (Marius Al-Ani & Absolute Andy) to retain the wXw Tag Team Titles
– Dragunov won the 2017 wXw 16 Carat Gold Tournament, defeating WALTER in the final
– On September 16, 2017, Dragunov defeated Marius Al-Ani & Ivan Kiev to regain the Next Step Title
– On March 10, 2018, Dragunov defeated John Klinger & WALTER in a 3-Way Match to win the wXw Unified World Title
– The next day, Dragunov defeated Matt Riddle to retain the wXw Unified World Title
– On March 24, Dragunov defeated Travis Banks, David Starr & WALTER to retain the wXw Unified World Title
– On April 7, Dragunov defeated Absolute Andy to retain the wXw Unified World Title
– On April 13, Dragunov defeated WALTER to retain the wXw Unified World Title
– On May 5, Dragunov again defeated WALTER to retain the wXw Unified World Title
– On May 18, Dragunov defeated Alexander James to retain the wXw Unified World Title
– On October 6, Dragunov defeated Bobby Gunns to win the Interim wXw Unified World Title, following an injury suffered by incumbent champion Absolute Andy
– On October 14, Cerberus (Dragunov & Avalanche) won the wXw International Tag Team Tournament, defeating Jay FK (Jay Skillet & Francis Kaspin) in the final
– On November 10, Dragunov defeated Alexander James to retain the Interim wXw Unified World Title
– On November 17, Dragunov defeated PCO to retain the Interim wXw Unified World Title
– In April 2019, Dragunov debuted for NXT UK
– On August 3, 2019, Dragunov & WALTER defeated Aussie Open (Kyle Fletcher & Mark Davis) to win the wXw Tag Team Titles
– At Takeover 36, Dragunov defeated WALTER to win the NXT UK Title
– On the October 14, 2021 episode of NXT UK, Dragunov defeated A-Kid to retain the NXT UK Title
– On the December 2 episode, Dragunov defeated Rampage Brown to retain the NXT UK Title
– On the January 27, 2022 episode, Dragunov defeated Jordan Devlin to retain the NXT UK Title
– On the March 3 episode, Dragunov defeated Nathan Frazer to retain the NXT UK Title
– On the April 7 episode, Dragunov defeated Roderick Strong to retain the NXT UK Title
– On the May 12 episode, Dragunov defeated Jordan Devlin in a Loser Leaves Town Match to retain the NXT UK Title
– On the July 28 episode, Dragunov defeated Wolfgang to retain the NXT UK Title
– Dragunov vacated the NXT UK Title in August 2022 due to injury. The title was actually vacated in early July, but was not acknowledged at the time due to tape delay
– In September 2022, Dragonov debuted for NXT US, defeating Xyon Quinn in his first match on the brand
– At Battleground 2023, Dragunov defeated Dijak in a Last Man Standing Match
– At Heatwave 2023, Dragunov defeated Trick Williams
– At No Mercy 2023, Dragunov defeated Carmelo Hayes to win the NXT Title
– On the October 10 NXT, Dragunov defeated Dominik Mysterio with LA Knight as guest referee to retain the NXT Title
– At Halloween Havoc 2023, Dragunov defeated Carmelo Hayes to retain the NXT Title
– At Deadline 2023, Dragunov defeated Baron Corbin to retain the NXT Title
– At Vengeance Day 2024, Dragunov defeated Trick Williams to retain the NXT Title
– At Stand & Deliver 2024, Dragunov defeated Tony D’Angelo to retain the NXT Title
– Dragunov made his Raw debut on the April 8 episode, defeating Shinsuke Nakamura
– Dragunov was officially called up to the Raw brand during the 2024 draft