By The mystery has been solved. AEW’s cryptic vignette that aired during this week’s television wasn’t just a random tease — it was setting the stage for a major new arrival, and the identity behind the whole orchestra act has now been revealed.
According to Fightful Select, the mystery vignette was for Ilja Dragunov. The former WWE star has already signed with AEW, with the company working to sort out his visa situation before moving forward with his debut.
The Vignette That Started It All
The cryptic 22-second video aired during the October 14 three-hour Dynamite and Collision and had fans buzzing. The vignette featured a well-dressed man conducting an orchestra, a metronome sitting on a wrestling mat, someone running around a ring, and a mystery figure walking down a set of steps — all designed to build anticipation without giving anything away.
“If you couldn’t guess, the ‘mystery vignette’ on AEW was for Ilja. He’s been signed and they were getting his visa situation rectified,” the report states.
From WWE Exit to AEW Signing
Back on September 26, it was reported that Dragunov was coming to AEW, although even top stars within the company didn’t know exactly when he’d appear. AEW already had materials prepared for him at that point, but one thing was holding everything up. Dragunov became immediately available after choosing not to renew his WWE contract when it expired in August, and it was subsequently reported that he’d signed with AEW and was expected to begin “very soon.”
Now AEW has finally started teasing him where it counts — on television. There is still no confirmed date for Dragunov to actually walk through the curtain, but after that vignette, it certainly looks like AEW wants fans ready for him.
Ilja Dragunov (Credits: Ringside News)
Also Read: Mystery Metronome Vignette Airs on AEW Collision, Teasing New Star’s Arrival
Source: Ringside News — read the full story there.
