On Thursday, it was reported that Ilja Dragunov had ended his time in WWE. According to sources like PWInsider and Fightful, the Russian wrestler's contract expired without a new agreement being signed. Now we know that the decision to not continue with the company was made by Dragunov himself, surprising the vast majority of the roster, according to a new report from Fightful Select.
"As reported by Fightful, WWE hoped to retain Dragunov, but he chose not to re-sign with the company. Upon hearing the news, the AEW sources we spoke to had not heard anything about a possible arrival of the wrestler to the company. However, he is now a free agent and could appear there as soon as both parties deem it appropriate," the outlet wrote.
"Industry sources did expect him to end up in All Elite Wrestling, although this was considered more of a hunch than confirmed information. We have been working to find out about his visa situation, as often when wrestlers leave the company, they have a grace period before needing to obtain a new one. However, if he wants to stay in the United States, he won't have trouble finding work," Fightful wrote.
"We have learned that several wrestlers contacted him this summer to inquire about his situation in WWE, but had not received any information. Dragunov did train with some of the wrestlers we spoke to, although they also did not know his situation at that time."
"Fightful Select has learned several details about what could happen next with Dragunov," the report continued. "Speaking with sources from the European independent circuit, his departure was a surprise to the people we contacted at wXw, his former promotion. Those who spoke with us expected more from Ilja's time on the main roster, especially due to his ability to connect with fans."
"Since April of this year, Ilja had not appeared on television and in May, he was present at a wXw event held in Hamburg. Naturally, after his departure from WWE, several European independent wrestlers we spoke to expressed their desire to face him if the opportunity arises. However, a source from wXw we spoke to mentioned that it would surprise him to see Dragunov return to the independent circuit."
"On the other hand, a promoter from the UK stated that he would love to book him, although he would also be surprised to see Ilja return to the indies with a fee that would be affordable for most promotions on the continent. Another European promoter hopes that Dragunov signs with AEW, while also predicting that the wrestler could end up returning to PROGRESS," the report concluded.
With his contract officially ended, Dragunov is free to sign with any company whenever he wishes. If he joins All Elite Wrestling, the wrestler could make his debut at any time. Should he join Tony Khan's company, Ilja would follow in the footsteps of colleagues like Tommaso Ciampa, Andrade "El Ídolo," and Motor City Machine Guns.
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