Published: 3 minutes ago by SP3 | Last Updated: 5 hours ago by SP3
Born in Harlem, New York and now living in the Bronx, Sid Pullar III aka SP3 is a lifelong wrestling fan who has been covering the industry for over nine years as a podcaster and writer. His passion for the industry has been documented with over 3,000 videos on YouTube and 8,000 written pieces across multiple outlets, such as WrestleTalk, Sports Illustrated and more.@TruHeelSP3
WWE
On the October 14 edition of AEW Dynamite, the company aired a teaser to hype the potential arrival of Ilja Dragunov.
“The Mad Dragon” coming to All Elite Wrestling should lead to some intriguing matchups upon his debut.
To facing former rivals to first-time opponents, Dragunov could square off with any number of names from the AEW roster.
Here are five potential Ilja Dragunov AEW debut opponents.
Kyle Fletcher
After leaving WWE, Ilja Dragunov had several former colleagues who commented on his departure.
One of the first AEW stars to comment publicly on Dragunov’s AEW exit was Kyle Fletcher.
Dating back to their time on the independent scene, Fletcher faced off with Dragunov and wanted to see him come to All Elite Wrestling.
Considering his status as one of the best in-ring performers in AEW, Fletcher being Ilja’s first opponent would be an exciting one that could potentially be a match of the year candidate.
Konosuke Takeshita
Over the course of his time in AEW, Konosuke Takeshita has established himself as one of the best wrestlers in the world today.
“The Alpha” has competed against some of the top talent all over the world and is a former two-time AEW International Champion.
However, Takeshita has never stepped in the ring with “The Mad Dragon” in the past.
Takeshita facing Ilja Dragunov has instant classic written all over it and could be a showstealing bout regardless of when it takes place.
Tommaso Ciampa
During his time in WWE, Ilja Dragunov has tore it up with some of the best the company had to offer.
In his final months in the company, Dragunov had a great match against Tommaso Ciampa on Friday Night SmackDown earlier this year.
Since his AEW debut, Ciampa has solidified himself as one of the most dependable in-ring competitors in the entire company.
If Dragunov is on his way to All Elite Wrestling, he would be hard-pressed to find anyone better suited to face him than Ciampa right now.
Darby Allin
When fans first started to talk about the possibility of Ilja Dragunov heading to AEW, many brought up Darby Allin as a fresh new opponent who could create magic with the former WWE United States Champion.
Now in his third reign as TNT Champion, Allin has reintroduced the open challenge for the gold.
Since regaining the gold, Allin has successfully defended the TNT Title against Mark Davis, Myron Reed and Kyle Fletcher.
If he holds another open challenge, Darby could defend the TNT Championship against a debuting Ilja Dragunov in what would be a highly physical affair.
Jon Moxley
Jon Moxley is one of the biggest AEW stars in the company’s history and someone who would be fitting as his first opponent.
With the Continental Classic set to begin, the tournament could feature new talent.
Ilja Dragunov making his AEW debut in the C2 would be a perfect way to introduce him to the new promotion.
As the current AEW Continental Champion, Moxley could open the door for Dragunov in the company and have a hard hitting contest that fans will never forget.
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