– Wrestling legend Jim Cornette gave praise to the Walter vs. Ilja Dragunov match from last week’s WWE NXT UK show:
Just saw Walter vs. Ilya from @NXTUK . If you've been wondering, THIS is what pro wrestling could have "evolved" into had it not been commandeered by comedy writers and backyard cosplayers. A masterpiece of the true art of worked combat. Kudos to both.
— Jim Cornette (@TheJimCornette) November 2, 2020
– In an interview with ITRWrestling.com, Dragunov commented on his history with Walter:
“I think he may have made a lot of my life, like, as a wrestler. He made me completely because every time we fought, it was like you had to really work for something, so much fight for something, I think it’s like WALTER and I fighting was meant to be, it’s like we need to fight each other. And we recognised it very early, back in 2017, there was electricity when we both stepped into the ring. We had no choice but to just go at it. I think this is something very unique, if you are able as a performer, to go ridiculously into this with all the energy and all the intensity you have. And this happens all the time with us. He has also this intensity, which is completely different to mine, but because of that, we are very similar because we just hit each other like a lightning strike. And that’s something that people feel when we face each other.”
