Ilja Dragunov is officially a free agent following the expiration of his WWE contract.
As noted, it was recently reported that Dragunov had departed WWE after his deal expired. WWE reportedly hoped to keep the former NXT Champion, but Dragunov ultimately decided against signing a new contract with the company.
As for what comes next, there is already speculation that Dragunov could land in AEW. Some within the wrestling industry expect AEW to be his eventual destination, though that is said to be more of a prediction than an indication that anything is currently in the works.
Dragunov’s visa situation is also unclear following his WWE departure. Foreign wrestlers can sometimes have a grace period after leaving a company before needing to secure a new visa arrangement. It is not expected that Dragunov would have difficulty finding work in the United States if he intends to remain in the country.
There had apparently been some mystery surrounding Dragunov’s WWE status even before his departure became public. Several wrestlers reportedly reached out to him over the summer wondering about his whereabouts, but did not receive any indication about what was happening. Dragunov had also trained with other wrestlers who were unaware of his contract situation at the time.
Dragunov’s exit has also generated interest throughout the European wrestling scene. Sources connected to wXw, where Dragunov established himself before signing with WWE, were reportedly surprised by his departure and had expected him to accomplish more during his time on WWE’s main roster.
Dragunov had been absent from WWE television since April and attended a wXw event in Hamburg in May.
While several European independent wrestlers would naturally be interested in facing Dragunov, there is skepticism about whether he will actually return to the independent scene. One source connected to wXw reportedly would be surprised to see him return to the promotion, while a UK promoter expressed similar doubts that Dragunov would work the independents at a rate affordable to most European promotions.
There is nevertheless some belief that Dragunov could make appearances for promotions such as PROGRESS before settling on his next long-term destination. AEW continues to be viewed within the industry as a possible landing spot, but there is no indication at this point that Dragunov has agreed to join the company.
(H/T: Fightful Select)
