Ilja Dragunov’s future remains up in the air following his WWE departure, but AEW appears poised to make a strong push to sign the former United States Champion.
Speaking on Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer said Tony Khan’s recent comments about Dragunov have convinced him that a significant offer is on the way.
“Based on what he is saying, I am certain there will be a big offer for Ilja Dragunov.”
It’s worth noting, though, that Meltzer is projecting based on Khan’s public statements. There has been no confirmation that AEW has made an offer or opened negotiations with Dragunov.
Khan’s interest, at least publicly, has been hard to miss. After praising Dragunov at the ROH Death Before Dishonor media scrum on August 21, the AEW president brought him up again in an interview with talkSPORT.
“I am a big admirer of his and I will always be on the lookout to see what happens with him.”
Dragunov’s WWE exit was reported on August 20 after his contract expired. Because the deal simply ran out rather than an early release, he is free to sign and appear with any promotion immediately.
His final WWE match came on the April 17 SmackDown in the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal. According to Meltzer, WWE and Dragunov were far apart on the financial terms of a new deal, which reportedly led the company to stop using him after April.