Ilja Dragunov has recently come under scrutiny for what some are calling dangerous wrestling, following moves that could have potentially ended his opponent’s career on WWE SmackDown. Several moments from his matches have been highlighted as particularly concerning.

Stevie Richards addressed these concerns on *The Stevie Richards Show*, expressing that there is something inherently risky about the way Dragunov competes. He specifically pointed to Dragunov’s match against Nathan Frazer on WWE SmackDown, describing a move that could have had serious consequences.

Richards recalled a moment where Dragunov executed a suplex, causing Frazer to land badly on the outside of the ring. He commented, “This here gives me vibes of Ridge Holland and Big E. Why are you giving any suplexes like this on the floor? Why? And he says nothing personal before he does it.” This remark references a similar spot between Big E and Ridge Holland that unfortunately ended Big E’s in-ring career.

Furthermore, Richards described the move as a “Chris Benoit German Suplex,” a dangerous type of suplex where there is no “give” in the landing. He explained, “There is no protection for this. This is a Benoit German Suplex. Now, he didn’t land him on top of his head, but it’s still a no-give, German suplex. Only this side of the audience here sees it. Now, for TV, it’s whatever, but you still have a live crowd.”

Richards also highlighted another perilous moment during the match where Nathan Frazer landed on his head after a rushed German suplex from the top rope. “He’s not ready. You already knew what was going to happen. He’s not ready. Look how close in slow-mo. His head hit. There’s no missing there. His head hit,” he stated.

Following this spot, Frazer collapsed in the ring, and the match ended shortly afterwards.

Currently, Ilja Dragunov is in the midst of an open challenge series on WWE SmackDown, where he regularly defends his United States Championship against different opponents each week. Despite his popularity and in-ring skill, these recent incidents have raised questions about the safety and risks involved in some of his high-impact moves.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/wwe/news-ilja-dragunov-called-out-for-dangerous-potentially-career-ending-spot-on-wwe-smackdown-by-veteran-his-head-hit