Ilja Dragunov opens up about WWE exit, Gunther's poor booking, infamous Brock Lesnar Royal Rumble spot & more
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Ilja Dragunov is ready for AEW.
Ilja Dragunov made his AEW debut at WrestleDream 2026 after the expiration of his contract with WWE. In a post-pay-per-view interview with Ariel Helwani on The Ariel Helwani Show, aired on October 20, Dragunov talked about his reasons for leaving WWE and starting a new chapter in his wrestling career in AEW.
He called his arrival in AEW a “fairy tale” because he felt welcomed by the promotion and was once again able to hear his own entrance music.
In the same interview, Ilja Dragunov had an opportunity to talk about his time with WWE and his WWE exit. Moreover, he mentioned sharing the ring with Brock Lesnar at Royal Rumble and talked about Gunther’s current booking.
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Why did Ilja Dragunov leave WWE?
Dragunov spent seven years under the WWE umbrella, establishing himself as one of the company’s most intense and technically gifted performers. However, his decision to leave was influenced by a combination of contract negotiations, the possibility of a fresh start, and concerns about the creative direction of his character.
Speaking to Helwani, Dragunov explained that WWE did not simply decide to let him go. Instead, his contract expired after negotiations failed to provide a compelling reason for him to remain. A major factor behind his decision was the direction of his character following his United States Championship reign.
Dragunov won the title in October 2025 after returning from an ACL injury, but he felt that the stories following his title loss could have been developed more meaningfully.
“After I dropped the belt, things kind of went in directions where I felt like, ok, it could have been better. There could have been more time to go into a story, into something that is outside of just holding a championship, captivating for the people.”
However, despite these challenges, Dragunov was certain that he still maintained his passion and hard-working attitude. He still gave his all in the ring even when he realized that his character may not have been portrayed as well as it should.
“There was no intention of the company to let me go. It was an accumulation of a lot of things. Of course, the offering, because we all know at the end of the day, it’s a business. But also, it’s definitely based on my feeling of how I want to work creatively.
I spent most of my twenties in WWE. That’s a very, very long time, and the landscape in this beautiful business changed. Everything I knew is that the expiration of my contract came and the negotiations didn’t lead anywhere.
There was nothing that I felt satisfying. Nothing that gave me the perspective of, ‘Oo, I must stick with what I have here.’ I had a gut feeling. I think things will work out for me, that I can bet on myself. Change always requires guts. It requires courage. It requires dealing with the possibility that things could not work out your way. It all came down to betting on myself and believing it’s going to be all right.”
WWE accomplishments will always be remembered. Dragunov managed to win the NXT Championship, NXT United Kingdom Championship and NXT Tag Team Championship while competing for the promotion. The feud between him and Gunther in NXT UK led to some of the most highly regarded matches in his career.
Incidentally, Gunther finds himself in a similar situation with WWE failing to hand former champion concrete storyline, which is somewhat frustrating for fans as well. The 33-year-old now-AEW wrestler also spoke about his rival’s situation.
Ilja Dragunov on Gunther’s booking and Brock Lesnar’s Royal Rumble spot
Dragunov also discussed two subjects that have generated considerable debate among WWE fans: Gunther’s booking and Brock Lesnar’s treatment of him during the 2026 Royal Rumble.
Addressing Gunther’s creative direction, Dragunov suggested that WWE should have maintained a higher standard for the former World Heavyweight Champion after he retired John Cena. Gunther’s victory over Cena was one of the defining moments of his career, but Dragunov felt the subsequent presentation should have reflected the significance of that achievement.
“I guess my feelings [are] the same feeling as a lot of other people share. If you are the person to retire John Cena, it’s kind of like a standard that you should keep a certain level of that, in my opinion.
For me, he is one of the best. He will be one of the best of all time.”
But Dragunov was equally flattering about his old friend and competitor, calling Gunther a wrestler that could develop into one of the best in history. Also, Dragunov talked about his recent fight with Lesnar during the 2026 Royal Rumble in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
Throughout their fight, Dragunov used chops against Lesnar that seemed to have little impact on him until he shouted at him and eliminated him from the ring. Some people were displeased by this as they thought Dragunov’s offense should not have been ignored so easily.
Dragunov, on the other hand, said that he understood the character he was playing and did see it as a big lose.
“My best career moments were made by my vulnerability,” Dragunov explained, adding that he had built his reputation by fighting back after being beaten down rather than dominating every opponent.
He acknowledged the fans who were upset on his behalf but said he could not change how the segment played out. Instead, he viewed those moments as opportunities to tell compelling stories. His comments showed that he was comfortable with the risks involved in portraying an undersized fighter standing up to a physically imposing opponent.
Why did Ilja Dragunov leave WWE?
Ilja Dragunov left after his WWE contract expired and renewal negotiations failed to offer him a satisfying reason to stay, as per his AEW introductory interview.
When did Ilja Dragunov make his AEW debut?
Dragunov made his AEW debut at WrestleDream 2026, where he was introduced as the promotion’s newest signing. He is scheduled to make his in-ring debut on the October 21, 2026 episode of AEW Dynamite against “Speedball” Mike Bailey.
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