Ilja Dragunov debuts for AEW at WrestleDream

Former WWE United States Champion Ilja Dragunov has officially signed with All Elite Wrestling (AEW). He made his first appearance for the promotion during the WrestleDream pay-per-view event at the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, Florida.

Introduced by Renee Paquette, Dragunov made a dramatic entrance in a suit before circling the ring and returning backstage without a match or promo. AEW President Tony Khan confirmed the signing on social media, noting that Dragunov is a perfect fit for the company. Dragunov, a Russian-born wrestler, previously held the NXT UK, NXT, and United States Championships during his seven-year tenure with WWE.

During a post-show media scrum, Dragunov explained his decision to join AEW, stating a desire for fresh competition and a new environment. “If I feel that the air in a certain environment gets thinner for me, I need to breathe,” he said, adding that he wanted to avoid feeling creatively or competitively stagnant.

Dragunov is scheduled to make his in-ring debut on the October 21 episode of AEW Dynamite at the Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Florida, though an opponent has not yet been announced.