Ilja Dragunov could be AEW-bound following the end of his seven-plus year run with WWE. Dragunov officially departed the company on August 20 after his contract expired.
According to WrestleVotes Radio on Fightful Select, an AEW source expects the company to reach out to Dragunov about a potential deal in the very near future.
A separate source believes an appearance by the former United States Champion could come quickly if talks go smoothly.
“Following Ilja Dragunov’s WWE departure, @WrestleVotes Radio on @FightfulSelect has learned an AEW source expects the company to inquire about bringing him in, if they haven’t already.
One source believes an AEW appearance could be on the horizon if talks go smoothly.”
WrestlePurists @WrestlePurists Follow One source believes an AEW appearance could be on the horizon if talks go smoothly.
– @WrestleVotes Radio on @FightfulSelect
4:51 PM · Aug 27, 2026The update marks a notable shift from what had been reported on August 21. At that point, AEW sources who spoke with Fightful were not yet aware of any conversations with Dragunov, and industry figures could only speculate that Tony Khan’s promotion might be his landing spot.
One factor working in favor of a potential deal is that Dragunov was not released by WWE. His contract simply expired, making him an unrestricted free agent who can show up elsewhere immediately.
WWE was reportedly interested in keeping him and had even negotiated to bring him back to TV through June, but Dragunov ultimately chose not to re-sign.
Tony Khan has already expressed admiration for Dragunov. During the ROH Death Before Dishonor media scrum, the AEW president called him a “tremendous, tremendous professional wrestler,” though he noted at the time that he wasn’t fully aware of Dragunov’s contractual situation.