On Thursday, it was reported that Ilja Dragunov (Ilia Rukober) officially departed from the WWE after a seven-year tenure. When the announcement first broke, there was shrouding mystery surrounding his unexpected exit. Now, there is some clarity.
In this week’s Wrestling Observer Newsletter, veteran journalist Dave Meltzer described this sudden news, and how it boiled down to both sides being “far enough apart” on contractual pay. It was noted that those within WWE saw Dragunov as a great worker; however, he was not a numbers mover. Therefore, the financial benefits Dragunov was asking for in his new deal was not deemed negotiable.
Elsewhere, WON also provided information regarding the conflicting answers they had received since Dragunov’s last match, which was on the April 17 edition of “WWE SmackDown” as part of the Andre The Giant Memorial 2026 Battle Royal. With curiosity as to whether Dragunov’s absence was due to injury or something else, the only answer the publication received from WWE was that Dragunov wasn’t injured, but they did not have plans for him creatively. WON reporter Bryan Alvarez and False Finish HQ both noted that creative was aiming to have “The Mad Dragon” back on WWE programming sometime after SummerSlam, but that decision has since changed.
Ravishing as he was domineering, Dragunov created an unforgettable run in the WWE. He was the only man to ever topple GUNTHER from his long and unruly reign as the NXT United Kingdom Champion. Leaving the United Kingdom, he arrived in the United States, and let his ferocity take him to the top as a former NXT Champion. From there, he’d go on to join the “WWE Raw,” then “WWE SmackDown,” becoming the Men’s United States Champion. His United States title run was a must-see spectacle from October through December 2025, with seven successful title defenses.
As of this report, Dragunov is now a free agent and not under a non-compete clause. With so many commercialized promotions out there, many are curious to see how soon Dragunov will appear for another company. TNA will host Lockdown this Sunday in Chicago, and AEW will have its annual All In pay-per-view event on Sunday, August 30, in London. AEW star Kyle Fletcher has teased the possibility of fighting Dragunov again.
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