Ilja Dragunov’s potential move to AEW is already generating plenty of excitement among the promotion’s top stars, even though he has yet to be officially announced.
AEW World Champion Will Ospreay discussed Dragunov in a recent interview with Jon Alba of The Takedown on SI. Ospreay said the two have never faced each other, despite appearing on the same shows during their time on the European scene.
“Dragunov was someone that performed on wXw for a fair bit of time, and there have been shows that we’ve been on, we’ve been on the same shows together, but we have never shared a ring with one another,” he told Alba.
“Hearing that there’s potential that he is coming in is exciting because I’m sure if you bring him in and you keep us on separate sides of the roster and build us both up, it could generally be like a big money-drawing singles match that could main event any show anywhere in the world.”
Ospreay also had high praise for Dragunov’s intensity and described him as very different from anyone currently on the AEW roster.
Those comments came a few days after Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter reported that Dragunov has signed with AEW and is expected to start with the company “very soon.” AEW has yet to officially announce Dragunov’s signing or a date for his debut.
Dragunov left WWE after his contract expired in August. His last match was the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal on the April 17 episode of SmackDown. During his WWE run, he won the NXT UK Championship, the NXT Championship and the United States Championship.
AEW President Tony Khan had publicly praised Dragunov following his WWE exit.