Ilja Dragunov Departs WWE: Contract Expiry, June Return Plans Uncertain

Reports confirm that former WWE United States Champion Ilja Dragunov is departing the company following the expiry of his current contract. Bryan Alvarez of F4WOnline recently shared details on the matter via his X account.

Further reports indicate that WWE had sought to retain Dragunov, but he chose not to renew his agreement. Alvarez noted that discussions between WWE and Dragunov regarding a televised return had persisted until as recently as June. He remarked, “The specifics remain unclear, but Ilja and WWE were reportedly engaged in strong negotiations for a return as recently as June.”

The reasons behind the collapsed TV return remain unspecified. On Wrestling Observer Radio, Dave Meltzer observed that WWE officials did not regard Dragunov as a top-tier attraction.

Dragunov’s final WWE appearance occurred in April, where he competed in the André the Giant Memorial Battle Royal on the April 17 episode of WWE SmackDown, the evening preceding WrestleMania 42.

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