Tony Khan addresses possibility of Ilja Dragunov joining AEW after WWE exit
Tony Khan keeps the door open for Ilja Dragunov.
Ilja Dragunov’s WWE departure has quickly sparked speculation about where the former United States Champion could wrestle next, with AEW naturally emerging as one of the names being discussed.
Dragunov’s WWE contract expired on August 20, immediately making him a free agent. Just one day later, Tony Khan addressed the situation during the post-show press conference following ROH Death Before Dishonor.
Khan praised Dragunov as a “tremendous” wrestler but stopped short of suggesting that a deal was being discussed. He later provided more insight during an interview with TalkSPORT, making it clear that he remains interested in following the former WWE star’s next move.
“Well, I can’t speak about the contractual status of wrestlers outside of the promotion because I don’t know everyone’s contract.
There’s no way for me to keep track of all that, but I do know that that’s a great wrestler. That’s somebody that is a very excellent athlete and somebody that has competed at a very high level and somebody who I respect imminently. I am a big admirer of his and I will always be on the lookout to see what happens with him.”
No confirmation of AEW negotiations
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While Khan’s comments will undoubtedly fuel speculation, there is currently no confirmation that Dragunov is negotiating with AEW.
Fightful Select reported that sources within AEW had received no indication that Dragunov was headed to the promotion. For now, talk of a potential signing appears to be industry speculation rather than a confirmed development.
Dragunov’s availability has nevertheless made him one of the more intriguing free agents in wrestling. His intensity, athleticism, and reputation for delivering hard-hitting matches would make him an attractive addition to any major promotion.
Ilja Dragunov enters free agency
The 31-year-old has not wrestled since April 17, when he competed in the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal on SmackDown and was eliminated by Aleister Black.
With his WWE contract now expired, Dragunov is free to explore opportunities elsewhere and can potentially appear for another promotion immediately.
AEW remains a logical destination given Khan’s public admiration for his work, but nothing has been finalized. For now, the wrestling world will have to wait and see where Dragunov’s next chapter begins.
Is Ilja Dragunov a free agent?
Yes. His WWE contract expired on August 20, making him available to explore opportunities elsewhere.
Has Ilja Dragunov signed with AEW?
There has been no confirmation of an AEW deal or ongoing negotiations.
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