Earlier this month, fans were shocked to learn that WWE veteran Ilja Dragunov had exited the company following the expiration of his contract. Dragunov had not appeared on WWE television since the SmackDown episode before WrestleMania 42. Reports indicate that Dragunov chose to let his contract expire after negotiations with WWE over a new deal broke down.
Subsequent reports revealed that although WWE officials viewed Dragunov as an exceptional talent, they did not see him as a significant draw for the company. Since his departure, speculation has arisen that Dragunov may join AEW (All Elite Wrestling).
In the latest edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dave Meltzer discussed AEW President and CEO Tony Khan’s recent comments regarding Dragunov. During the recent ROH Media Scrum, Khan praised Dragunov as a “tremendous” professional wrestler but also stated that he was unaware of the WWE veteran’s contractual status. Meltzer noted that given Khan’s enthusiastic praise for Dragunov, he expects the AEW CEO to extend a contract offer to him.
Meltzer also mentioned that the last time Khan praised a wrestler from WWE, it was Claudio Castagnoli, who had already been signed. Castagnoli later made his AEW debut just a few weeks afterward. With the All In event taking place in London, England, this weekend, it will be intriguing to see if Dragunov makes an appearance.
