As PWMania.com previously reported, former WWE star “The Mad Dragon” Ilja Dragunov made his AEW debut at the WrestleDream pay-per-view (PPV) event on Saturday, receiving a huge ovation from the live audience.
After the event, Dragunov participated in the WrestleDream post-show media scrum, where he discussed various topics, including his reasons for joining AEW.
Dragunov said, “I’ve been doing this for almost 14 years, and I’ve been through a lot of phases when it comes down to my indie career and pro wrestling career in general. I’ve traveled to places and been under contract. I’ve never had the chance where I didn’t feel like I can’t bet on myself. If I feel that this chance is limited, then it gets more limited. Then, I feel like I’m getting stuck somewhere. Not because of external factors, just feeling stuck in general, because I’ve this urge to fight. I love to fight, and I want to compete, and I want to step up. If I feel that the air in a certain environment gets thinner for me, I need to breathe. That’s what I did today, here. If I need a place to breathe new, fresh air, see a new landscape, and see what the world can offer me to satisfy this hunger for competition.”
You can check out Dragunov’s comments in the video below.
