10 Brutal Times Wrestlers Worked Stiff

Make no mistake, recency bias is most definitely a thing. But that still won't change the fact that we saw perhaps the stiffest contest to air on western TV in modern times at NXT: TakeOver 36.

With the NXT UK warriors that are Ilja Dragunov and WALTER putting on WWE's match of 2020 back in October, fans' mouths were understandably watering at the thought of round two over the NXT UK Championship. They got their wish in the end, and something many thought to be impossible became a reality; the two took things up a notch.

As the challenger evaded the game-changing chop of the Champion early on, Dragunov answered back with his own backhands, whilst also frequently throwing his entire body at The Ring General with little care about his own wellbeing. It was always only a matter of time before WALTER settled into his usual groove, though, chopping and German suplexing the smaller man with sickening ease.

But Ilja is no mortal man.

After taking a level of punishment that would've levelled a man twice his size, reducing his chest and neck to a crimson canvas, Dragunov clubbed and choked his way to a dramatic victory, carving himself into wrestling folklore in the process.