A WWE star has officially departed the company following the expiration of his contract.
First reported by PWInsider, former WWE United States Champion Ilja Dragunov has now exited WWE, four months on from his last appearance on SmackDown.
According to the report Dragunov’s contract with WWE has now expired and he was removed from the company’s internal roster last week.
WWE have now confirmed his exit, with Dragunov now listed in the alumni section of the official WWE roster page, rather than current superstars.
Dragunov had been a part of WWE since 2019, with the Russian star beginning in the now defunct NXT UK brand before moving on to NXT and eventually WWE’s main roster in 2024.
While Dragunov won both the NXT UK and NXT Championship belts, his success on the main roster did not reach the level that many expected.
The 32-year-old saw his WWE career derailed by a serious knee injury in September 2024, and spent the next year on the sidelines before eventually returning in October 2025.
Dragunov received a significant push in this second run, as he immediately dethroned Sami Zayn for the United States Championship in his first match back.
‘The Mad Dragon’ held that title for 63 days before dropping it to former NXT rival Carmelo Hayes, but he managed seven successful televised title defenses in that time.
Dragunov’s last match on WWE TV was the 2026 Andre The Giant Battle Royal on April 17, with the company never publicly explaining why he was off TV.
It was reported back in June that Dragunov was expected to make his return to WWE “sooner than later”, however, this never came to fruition despite fans’ wishes.
Unlike some other notable WWE departures this year such as The New Day and Aleister Black, Dragunov shouldn’t have to serve a non-compete period following his WWE departure given that he’s exiting following the end of his contract, rather than being released early.
While it’s not yet known which other promotions may have interest in Dragunov, this means he should be free and able to make his next move immediately.
We will provide further updates on Ilja Dragunov’s future beyond WWE once more details become available.
Ilja Dragunov A Lay-Up Of A Signing For AEW On The Eve Of All In London
With Xavier Woods and Kofi Kingston’s arrivals widely expected at AEW All In London already, Ilja Dragunov’s sudden free agency presents Tony Khan an irresistible opportunity to add yet another exciting new arrival on August 30.
When it comes to in-ring ability, Dragunov long stood out as one of WWE’s most skilled and believable performers.
His intensity was unmatched and fans have long been clamoring for the the company to run back his classic feud with GUNTHER from NXT UK – which stood out as one of the absolute best WWE has put on this decade.
While that will not be happening now, Dragunov has a whole host of dream opponents in AEW and, many would argue that the company better suits him than WWE given the greater focus on in-ring action.
Current AEW World Champion Kenny Omega previously sung Dragunov’s praises back in March 2024, and now, over two years later we could see the pair lock up for the very first time.
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