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The 2024 King and Queen of the Ring tournaments are here, and WWE fans are expectedly excited! The new King and Queen of the Ring will be decided at the titular Premium Live Event in Saudi Arabia later this month.
Six performers across the two tournaments moved forward during Monday Night RAW last night. IYO SKY, Lyra Valkyria, and Zoey Stark defeated Natalya, Dakota Kai, and Ivy Nile to advance. Meanwhile, Jey Uso, Gunther, and Ilja Dragunov defeated Finn Balor, Sheamus, and Ricochet to move forward.
Ilja Dragunov was particularly notable. This was his first match on RAW as an official member of the main roster, and the former NXT Champion displayed his skills to the hilt. Fans who may have never seen him before are now fond of The Mad Dragon.
Now that Ilja has moved on, many wonder how far he may go in the 2024 King of the Ring Tournament. This article will explain why the 30-year-old should be crowned King of the Ring in Jeddah later this month.
Below are four reasons why Ilja Dragunov should win the 2024 WWE King of the Ring Tournament:
#4. Winning the King of the Ring would make Ilja Dragunov a big deal in WWE instantly!
WWE has a lot of big stars right now, although some are away or injured. Still, the promotion has the likes of Cody Rhodes, Roman Reigns, CM Punk, Seth Rollins, and even names like The Rock and John Cena appear from time to time. This isn't even including a star-studded women's division.
Still, while WWE has a lot of stars, there are always things that happen. Injuries, retirements, booking disputes, and people leaving the Stamford-based promotion are inevitable realities of being in the pro wrestling business.
As a result, the company always needs to keep creating new stars, and Ilja Dragunov has top-star potential. If The Mad Dragon were to win the 2024 King of the Ring Tournament, he would instantly be pushed towards the upper echelon of the RAW roster and thus be on his way to becoming a top star. It would benefit everybody.
#3. Ilja winning and getting pushed would feel completely fresh!
WWE is in a new era under Triple H. The shows are better, the roster is seemingly happier, and fans are more into the weekly product than they have been in a long time. The major reason behind this is The Game's ability to keep things fresh.
Fans of WWE were singing a different tune just a few years ago. Vince McMahon cut what was probably half of the roster and had the remaining stars wrestle each other to death in an endless array of rematches every single week. It made the product cold and stale.
Ilja Dragunov would make the main roster product feel fresh because he is a brand-new entity. While he's wrestled some performers in the past on NXT, NXT UK, or the Indies, most fans have yet to witness his skills regularly. For this reason, the Russian star should be pushed to win the King of the Ring tournament. It would offer new matches and exciting potential stories.
#2. He could be an opponent for Damian Priest!
Damian Priest is the reigning World Heavyweight Champion. The Archer of Infamy won the title at WrestleMania XL by cashing in his Money in the Bank briefcase on Drew McIntyre. Some fans, however, aren't sold on Priest as a top star.
The Judgment Day member successfully defended his World Heavyweight Title at Backlash France. He went one-on-one with Jey Uso and ultimately defeated the former tag team champion, albeit with some help from his stable mates.
If Ilja Dragunov wins the 2024 King of the Ring Tournament, he may earn a title opportunity. From there, the former NXT Champion could potentially challenge Damian Priest for the title. It would be a great booking decision, as a feud between the two could give Priest more credibility.
#1. Ilja Dragunov is an incredible wrestler!
The major reason why Ilja Dragunov would give Damian Priest more credibility if he were to be pushed into the World Title scene is because the 30-year-old is an amazing wrestler. The former champion displayed the same during his thrilling clash with WWE Speed Champion Ricochet in the King of the Ring Tournament match on RAW.
Dragunov's intensity is infectious, and his never-say-die attitude has led to him delivering amazing matches with stars such as Carmelo Hayes, Trick Williams, Dijak, Gunther, and Ricochet.
Ilja deserves a big push in WWE because he delivers as well or better than anybody else in the promotion. Be it on RAW, SmackDown, or NXT, Ilja can hang with the absolute best. Who better to make it through a tournament and stand tall than arguably the best wrestler?
