The past week one of the most outstanding news of the summer occurred: Ilja Dragunov's departure from WWE. According to reports at that time, the Russian wrestler's contract expired without a new document being signed. Some media outlets pointed out that WWE asked Dragunov to accept a pay cut, something the former United States champion refused.
With his departure confirmed, the wrestler is officially a free agent, so he can sign with any other company whenever he wants. Many are hoping - and wishing - that Ilja ends up joining the ranks of All Elite Wrestling. In fact, numerous requests from fans of the company have been forwarded to Tony Khan, who was asked about the issue in a recent interview with TalkSports.
"Well, I can't speak about the contractual situation of wrestlers who are outside the promotion because I don't know the contracts of everyone. There's no way I can keep track of all that, but I do know he's a great wrestler. He's someone who is an extraordinary athlete, who has competed at the highest level and whom I greatly respect. I'm a big fan of his and will always be watching to see what happens with him," Khan stated.
So far, Dragunov has not commented on his departure from WWE nor has he offered any clues about his immediate future. At 32 years old, Ilja remains one of the best European wrestlers of his generation, so job offers will not be lacking for him. Furthermore, his time in WWE and NXT left a good impression on the company's fans, one of the reasons why his departure has been so surprising.
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