Ilja Dragunov On AEW/NXT Competition: We Wanted To Create Something That Was Memorable And Beautiful

Ilja Dragunov addresses the feeling of competition during the October 10th edition of NXT.

Ilja Dragunov says the NXT roster wanted to make the October 10 episode of the show memorable and special.

The October 10 episode of the show was a blockbuster edition of the program, as it went up against the special Title Tuesday edition of AEW Dynamite. NXT would be packed with stars on that night, as legends such as John Cena and The Undertaker made special appearances. Cody Rhodes, Asuka and other main roster superstars were involved as well.

NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov was also featured on the program, as he interrupted the general manager for the night, Cody Rhodes, after he had made his advertised announcement(s). Dragunov went on to face off with The Judgment Day’s Dominik Mysterio in an NXT Championship match, with LA Knight serving as the special guest referee. Despite The Judgment Day’s attempts at interfering, Dragunov ultimately put “Dom Dom” down for the count.

While speaking to TV Insider, Dragunov was asked about the discussions of competition between AEW and NXT prior to October 10 and what it meant to see NXT do so well.

“I treat it the same way I treat competition in general in my life. I have no opinion because for me when I think of competition in regards to me, there is nobody that can do the things I do. I don’t see any competition in that sense. I see the same for the entire NXT brand. I don’t see anyone working in the same way the NXT brand does,” Dragunov said.

Dragunoc continued by describing how NXT has a special environment where everyone wants to constantly evolve. He stated that everyone was focused on perfomring to the best of their ability, and they wanted to deliver an unforgettable show.

“We have this working environment where everyone is motivated to evolve constantly, and in a way, that nobody else can copy or reproduce. I think everybody else, especially me as NXT champion, was focused on performing on that night to our very best ability. Also, because those icons were there, we wanted to create something that was memorable and beautiful that people were not going to forget for a very long time,” he said.

In terms of ratings on that night, NXT would defeat AEW in both total viewership and the key demographic.

Dragunov is scheduled to defend the title against Carmelo Hayes on the October 31 edition of NXT, as Halloween Havoc’s two-week event comes to a close.

Elsewhere in the interview, Dragunov discussed talking to John Cena backstage at the October 10th show. You can read more here.