Ilja Dragunov leaves WWE

In the last few months, several superstars from WWE have left the company, either by the company's decision (such as Aleister Black, Zelina Vega, or Motor City Machine Guns) or by the talents themselves (as in the case of Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston). A list to which Ilja Dragunov has now been added, as reported by Mike Johnson of PWInsider.

Sources from the company confirmed to Johnson that Dragunov's contract recently expired without both parties reaching a new agreement. As a result, the Russian has been removed from the active roster that WWE internally manages. His profile also does not appear in the list of superstars publicly available on their official website.

Ilja Dragunov debuted in WWE in 2019 as part of the now-defunct NXT UK brand, where he quickly became one of its pillars. During that time, Ilja had a prominent rivalry with Gunther, which culminated in the Russian star being crowned as the top champion.

WWE sent Dragunov to NXT USA in 2022, where he once again earned a prominent position. After a reign as the brand's top champion, the Russian wrestler was promoted to the main roster as part of the Monday Night Raw cast. Ilja quickly gained the support of fans thanks to his in-ring performance. However, his momentum was abruptly halted after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear in September 2024.

Dragunov returned to action in October of last year to answer an open challenge from Sami Zayn for the United States Championship. The Russian not only secured the victory but also continued with the open challenges, which became one of the biggest attractions on SmackDown for months. His last appearance took place on the blue brand's show before WrestleMania 42, where he competed in the traditional Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.

At 32 years old, Dragunov remains one of the most prominent European stars in the business. Although the reasons for his departure have not been revealed yet, the fact that his contract expired (and it was not a dismissal) would allow him to join another company at any time.