6 months ago
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The 2024 WWE Draft has come and gone, with the new official rosters official as of tonight's "WWE Raw." As always, some fresh names were brought up from the developmental brand to the company's main roster. Speaking on his podcast "The Hall of Fame," Booker T offered his assessment of some of the performers on their way out of "WWE NXT."
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"I want to give a shout-out to one of my favorite young guys that has made his way to the main roster — somebody I got a chance to work with down in NXT. I'm so proud of him — Ilja Dragunov," Booker said.
The "WWE NXT" commentator said he had an opportunity to speak to Dragunov backstage last week, hugging him and thanking the former champion for the extra work he has put in over the previous few years. According to Booker, Dragunov not only worked hard in the WWE Performance Center but would continue "studying the game" at nights, continuing to add to his repertoire as a performer.
"[He's] a kid who made me a believer from day one," Booker continued. "I'm so proud of that kid, man. And congratulations on getting ready to make this big run."
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In addition to Dragunov, Booker called out a few other former "NXT" stars who were drafted, such as Lyra Valkyria and Kiana James. The WWE Hall of Famer also shared his belief that Roxanne Perez, a former student of his, would've received a call-up if she were not the current WWE NXT Women's Champion. Though NXT was once seen as a place for independent wrestlers to transition to the WWE style, that has changed in many ways under the leadership of Shawn Michaels, whom Booker credited for developing a great selection of young talent for the company in the last five years.
If you use any of the quotes in this article, please credit "The Hall of Fame" with a h/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.
