Latest on top WWE faction potentially getting a new member - Reports 

After recent reports suggested that WWE higher-ups were planning on having the 29-year-old superstar Ilja Dragunov join the villainous faction Imperium, it seems that those talks have now stalled.

The faction has slowly become one of WWE's most dominant groups over the past year, with Giovanni Vinci, Ludwig Kaiser, and its leader Gunther looking to restore honor to the legacy of professional wrestling.

According to a report from Xero News, the recent "talk of Ilja Dragunov joining Imperium has gone quiet recently." Given his European roots and hard-hitting style in the ring, Dragunov is no doubt a perfect fit for the group.

Since arriving on WWE's main roster in April of last year, Gunther has been a force to be reckoned with, and his current run as Intercontinental Champion has seen him hold the belt for an astonishing 363 days and counting.

Gunther is ready to face a top WWE star

Having established himself as one of the company's most talented stars, the Austrian is now ready to test himself against some of the biggest names in the business.

One WWE star that is seemingly at the top of his list is Cody Rhodes. During a recent interview on the My Love Letter To Wrestling podcast, Gunther looked back on his run-in with Cody back at the Royal Rumble in January as well as a future one-on-one match.

"I think it was super cool to add a little something at the top of it at the end of that match," Gunther said on being the runner-up wrestling eventual winner Cody Rhodes. "In general, I think Cody is someone who is maybe my ideal opposite right now. Going forward, it's going to be a match that... I'm very confident we're going to do that match a couple of times in the next years." [31:58-32:16] [H/T Sportskeeda]

Gunther's stock certainly rose in the eyes of fans over the past few months, as he competed and won in arguably the most entertaining match at WrestleMania 39, retaining the Intercontinental Championship against Sheamus and Drew McIntyre.

Who will win a world title first? Gunther or Cody Rhodes? Give us your thoughts in the comments section below.