Ilja Dragunov Reportedly Leaving WWE, Believed His Deal Has Expired

Ilja Dragunov is believed to be leaving WWE.

As of writing, it’s been over four months since Ilja Dragunov last wrestled for WWE. Off the back of his United States Championship run, which came to an end last December, it seemed the star had firmly established himself among the roster on Friday nights, even looking towards the Undisputed WWE Championship in January. However, with no new injury news, many were confused as to why he hadn’t been making appearances since his inclusion in the 2026 Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal. Now, it seems Dragunov has moved on from the company.

According to an update from PWInsider, it’s believed Ilja Dragunov is leaving WWE.

“Ilja Dragunov is exiting World Wrestling Entertainment, PWInsider.com can exclusively confirm. We are told that Dragonuv’s deal has expired.”

-PWInsider

Dragunov has battled some bad luck over the last couple of years, sustaining a torn ACL in September 2024 which came him on the shelf for over a year. But, as mentioned, the 32-year-old’s return saw him win singles gold, as he dethroned Sami Zayn on the very same night he came back to SmackDown last October, making his disappearance from WWE TV all the more surprising.

Naturally, attention will now turn to what comes next for the former NXT Champion. Many will immediately link him to a move to AEW, although, for now, whether that materialises remains to be seen. Alternatively, TNA remains an option for anyone departing WWE, while a large portion of fans will want him to test the waters with regard to a stint in Japan. Of course, we wish Ilja all the best with his next step.

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As always, we’ll aim to provide any further updates on Ilja Dragunov’s WWE exit as soon as we hear more.