Ilja Dragunov has been missing from WWE television, and that has left fans wondering why someone with his intensity and in-ring ability is not being used right now.
During Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer weighed in after Garrett Gonzales brought up Fightful’s recent note that Dragunov’s absence from television is due to WWE having no creative plans for him. Gonzales questioned why that would be the case, calling Dragunov “tremendous” and asking if fans should be worried about his future in WWE. Meltzer said Dragunov’s current absence may simply come down to WWE having other people slotted into stories right now, leaving him as one of the names caught in the shuffle.
“I just think that they’ve got other guys that they got storylines now for and, you know, I mean, it’s like you add some people and some people get lost in the shuffle.”
That is where Meltzer got blunt about how WWE may view Dragunov internally. While he acknowledged that Dragunov is different from most performers on the roster, he said WWE still appears to see him as someone who can be rotated in and out of the midcard.
“He’s, to them, he, you know, yeah, he’s a unique character, but he is an interchangeable mid card guy. And, you know, I mean, you can do something with him and you can bring him back, but they got a lot of guys like that.”
Meltzer then made it even clearer that Dragunov does not appear to be viewed as a top-level act by WWE at this point.
“They don’t see him as a top guy. They just don’t.”
That does not mean Dragunov lacks value. Meltzer said Dragunov has never really been given the opportunity to become more than the guy fans can count on for intense, high-end matches.
“He’s never really had the opportunity to be anything more than the guy who, you know, gives you really, really great matches.”
Meltzer also pointed to Dragunov’s intensity as the main thing that separates him from the pack, calling it the defining part of what he brings to the table.
“He’s got a level of intensity that no one else has, which is his calling card.”
The question is whether WWE sees that as enough to move him higher on the card. Meltzer suggested the company may not view Dragunov’s promo style the same way it views some of the talent it favors.
“But I think that maybe they feel that, you know, the promos aren’t great, you know, as long-term order promos that the guys that they favor.”
Gonzales pushed back by saying Dragunov’s promos are unique and different. Meltzer agreed with that point and said Dragunov’s ability to stand out could actually become a major strength if WWE chose to lean into it.
“He’s very unique, and I think that the fact that he can go out there and bring something out of the crowd because no one else works like that in AEW or WWE, that could be a calling card because he could be memorable and different.”
Meltzer said Dragunov has the potential to be presented as the wrestler fans tune in to watch because his matches bring a level of intensity they do not get anywhere else.
“It could be the guy where he comes out and you’re going like, okay, we’re going to see an intensity that we don’t get anybody else’s matches because that is what he potentially can bring.”
That leaves Dragunov in a frustrating spot. He has the ring style, intensity, and credibility to stand out, but WWE does not appear to be treating him like a major player right now. Whether that changes depends on whether the company decides to give him a real direction instead of letting him sit on the sidelines.
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Do you think WWE is wasting Ilja Dragunov, or is he exactly where the company sees him fitting right now? Please share your thoughts and feedback in the comment section below.