WATCH: WWE Superstar Receives Standing Ovation Following Title Shot At Live Event

He earned it. There are a variety of accolades that a wrestler can receive, some of which are things that stand the test of time. Wrestlers can win championships, but at some point those will go away. One of the only things that lasts forever is the reaction from the fans, which can be quite the show of respect. One WWE Superstar received just that earlier this week.

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Over the weekend, Ilja Dragunov unsuccessfully challenged Gunther for the World Heavyweight Championship at a WWE Live Event in Columbus, Georgia. Following the match, the fans gave Dragunov a standing ovation for his efforts. Dragunov and Gunther have wrestled a series of matches which were positively received, including one where Dragunov defeated Gunther, then known as Walter, to win the WWE United Kingdom Title.

It’s quite the sight. Check out the ovation, plus Dragunov vs. Gunther over the years:

Opinion: I can’t blame the fans whatsoever as Dragunov has a history of putting everything he has into a match. It feels like it is going to take one heck of a performance to defeat him, which is exactly how things felt when he defeated Gunther. For now, it seems that he is still doing the same thing and the fans are reacting as expected. Now if only WWE can give him this kind of a chance on television.