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Ilja Dragunov leaves WWE after contract expires

Updated 9 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.

What changed

2026-08-24 16:41 UTC → 2026-08-26 07:27 UTC · added removed

Following the expiration of his contract in on August 20, 2026, Ilja Dragunov has officially left WWE entered free agency after a seven-year tenure. tenure with WWE. The 32-year-old former NXT, NXT UK, and United States Champion reportedly chose not to sign a renewal, despite interest from the company to retain him. Negotiations between the two parties reached an impasse. While reports indicate WWE leadership intended impasse due to keep him, a disconnect emerged between Dragunov’s salary requirements and his perceived impact on viewership numbers. Consequently, While WWE leadership reportedly intended to keep him, the company allegedly stopped using him in April, prior to the formal contract expiration. As a free agent, Dragunov is eligible to compete immediately. While speculation Speculation regarding a move to All Elite Wrestling (AEW) persists, no official deals have been confirmed. fueled by repeated praise from AEW leader President Tony Khan. Khan has publicly commented on the situation, describing described Dragunov as a ‘tremendous, tremendous professional wrestler,’ wrestler’ and an ‘excellent athlete,’ though Khan he noted he was unaware of cannot comment on the performer’s specific contractual status. status of performers outside his promotion. Despite this admiration, there is currently no official confirmation of active negotiations between Dragunov and AEW. Fellow performer AJ Styles also reacted to the news on ‘The AJ Styles Show,’ expressing disappointment. disappointment and surprise. Styles described Dragunov as ‘awesome’ but noted that his own role in coaching and talent development does not provide insight into the specific contractual details of other performers. He suggested the public would need to hear from Dragunov directly to understand the truth behind the exit.

Versions

  1. 2026-08-26 07:27 UTC Ilja Dragunov leaves WWE after contract expires
  2. 2026-08-24 16:41 UTC Ilja Dragunov leaves WWE after contract expires
  3. 2026-08-23 19:24 UTC Ilja Dragunov leaves WWE after contract expires
  4. 2026-08-22 16:26 UTC Ilja Dragunov leaves WWE after contract expires
  5. 2026-08-22 00:29 UTC Ilja Dragunov leaves WWE after contract expires
  6. 2026-08-21 17:34 UTC Ilja Dragunov leaves WWE after contract expires
  7. 2026-08-21 10:12 UTC Ilja Dragunov leaves WWE after contract expires
  8. 2026-08-21 02:08 UTC Ilja Dragunov leaves WWE after contract expires
  9. 2026-08-20 22:53 UTC Ilja Dragunov leaves WWE after contract expires
  10. 2026-08-20 17:36 UTC Ilja Dragunov WWE contract status

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