Former WWE United States and NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov has left WWE and is now a free agent after his contract expired on August 20, 2026. Multiple outlets, including Wrestling Inc. and Fightful, report that this was a contract expiration rather than a release, and Dragunov has already been moved to WWE's alumni section.
According to those reports, WWE would have liked to keep Dragunov, but the two sides were far apart on financial terms, with the company reportedly viewing him as a strong in-ring performer who was not a major numbers-mover. Talks were said to be ongoing as recently as June, when WWE had planned to bring him back to television after SummerSlam. His final match for the company came during WrestleMania 42 weekend in April.
Dragunov's availability has already drawn outside interest. AEW president Tony Khan praised him at the ROH Death Before Dishonor press conference but stopped short of confirming any negotiations. Elsewhere over the weekend, CM Punk retained the Undisputed WWE Championship over Kevin Owens on the August 21 SmackDown after Sami Zayn turned on Owens.