"Good I want him and Gunther to eat each other" - WWE fans react to 29-year-old star having no interest in joining top champion's faction

The wrestling world reacted to WWE NXT Superstar Ilja Dragunov shutting off the idea of him joining Gunther's Imperium faction.

Instead, fans wished the current Intercontinental Champion and former NXT UK Champion should reignite their rivalry on the main roster. It was reported that the Stamford-based company had its eyes on the 29-year-old star to join forces with The Ring General on the main roster.

However, Ilja Dragunov's jump ship to the main roster, followed by the 2023 WWE Draft, has been put on the back burner. The two men shared a rich rivalry on the promotion's third brand with brilliant face-offs and hard-hitting contests.

Even though the NXT star can be a popular addition to the Imperium faction, in a recent interview with Cultholic Wrestling, Dragunov mentioned he had no interest in joining Gunther's stable.

Well, WWE fans were intrigued by this information as they want the 29-year-old to end The Ring General's Intercontinental Championship reign.

One fan shared it would be interesting to watch Gunther and Ilja Dragunov should each other (put on an excellent show) in their potential next bout.

Some fans noted that the NXT star is a "stud" and should not be a part of the Imperium faction because he owns them.

Gunther opens up on becoming WALTER again in the WWE

The Intercontinental Champion performed as WALTER during his NXT and NXT UK run. Recently the 35-year-old spoke about potentially returning to his former in-ring name in WWE one day.

Followed by a three years stint on the developmental brand, and before his SmackDown debut, the company altered his name to Gunther. The Ring General left a stunning impression among the fans with his notable work inside the squared circle and his 400+ days of IC Title reign.

During a conversation with Riju Dasgupta of Sportskeeda Wrestling, the champion brushed off the idea of returning to WALTER again.

"No. I think the progression and how everything happened was very good for me and for my career. We'll see what happens in the next years. There's still some room in my career to fill. That's [being called WALTER again] nothing I strive for at the moment," he said.

Check the full video below:

The 35-year-old star is set to face Drew McIntyre for the Intercontinental Championship at SummerSlam on August 5, 2023. Only time will tell if the Imperium leader can continue his title reign after the Biggest Party of the Summer.

Do you want to see Ilja Dragunov and Gunther in the same faction? Sound off in the comment section below.