Ilja Dragunov is officially a free agent after his run with WWE came to an end. The former NXT Champion’s contract expired this week.
AEW speculation followed almost immediately, but as of now, there is no concrete indication that a deal is in the works.
According to Fightful Select, sources within AEW had not heard anything about Dragunov heading to the company. People in the industry believe he could end up signing with Tony Khan, but that expectation has been characterized as a general perception rather than something rooted in actual negotiations.
One key detail is that Dragunov was not released. Because his contract simply expired, he is free to sign and appear with any promotion immediately without having to sit out a 90-day non-compete window.
The speculation picked up further after Kyle Fletcher posted an image from his 2019 match against Dragunov. The two faced off in PROGRESS, with Dragunov picking up the win.
If Tony Khan does have interest, a major opportunity is right around the corner. AEW All In takes place on August 30 at Wembley Stadium in London, just days after Dragunov hit the open market.
For now, though, a surprise All In debut or any kind of AEW signing remains purely speculative. Dragunov is available immediately, but no negotiations between the two sides have been confirmed.