Ilja Dragunov has opened up about the moment he first started thinking about leaving WWE, revealing that the seeds of his exit were planted months before his contract expired in August 2026.
Ilja Dragunov (Credits: Fightful)
Dragunov had been off WWE television since April, when he last competed in the Andre The Giant Memorial Battle Royal, before deciding not to renew his deal. He has since joined AEW, making his debut at AEW WrestleDream and winning his in-ring debut on Dynamite against “Speedball” Mike Bailey.
Ilja Dragunov WWE Exit: When He First Thought About Leaving
Speaking to Ariel Helwani on The Ariel Helwani Show, Dragunov was asked directly when he first considered walking away. He pointed to his return from a torn ACL, when he won a championship straight back in what he still calls an amazing, cherished moment.
But after he dropped the belt, Dragunov felt the creative direction could have been stronger. “After I dropped the belt, things went into directions where I feel like it could’ve been better and more time to go into a story or something outside of holding a championship,” he said. “Around April, maybe even a month before that, I was already just thinking about it.”
Dragunov was quick to stress that the doubts never affected his work rate. “It never changed anything about my work because I love what I do and I make every minute count, but we all have feelings and we all want to devote ourselves to this, but I know it’s part of the business. I wouldn’t change that,” he added.
His comments give the clearest timeline yet for a departure that surprised many fans, given his reputation as one of WWE’s most intense in-ring performers. Rather than a sudden break, Dragunov describes a slow realisation that his time in the company had run its course, even as he continued to give everything to every match.
The move to AEW now gives him a fresh start, and his winning debut against Bailey suggests the company plans to use him as a major singles star. Whether he can recapture the championship momentum of his WWE comeback run remains the big question for his next chapter.
Also Read: Dax Harwood on AEW’s New Signings: As Long as They’re Here to Help Grow AEW, I’ll Welcome Anybody | AEW Dynamite Viewership October 21: 661,000 Viewers on TBS, Demo Rating Rises to 0.15
Source: Fightful — read the full story there.
