Ilja Dragunov says a desire for fresh challenges and more opportunities to compete led him to leave WWE for AEW.

Following his official debut at AEW WrestleDream 2026, Dragunov spoke to the media about his decision. He explained that, after almost 14 years in wrestling, he wanted a new environment where he could back himself and satisfy his hunger for competition.

“I’ve been doing this for almost 14 years now, and I’ve been through a lot of phases when it comes down to my indie wrestling career and my professional wrestling career in general. I’ve traveled to places. I’ve been under contract.

“I’ve never had the chance where I couldn’t bet on myself. And if I feel that this chance is limited and it gets more limited, and I feel like I’m getting stuck somewhere, not because of external factors, just feeling stuck in general, because I have this urge to fight. I really love to fight, and I want to compete. I want to step up, and if I feel that the air in a certain environment gets thinner for me, I need to breathe. And that’s what I did today here.

“I need a place to breathe new, fresh air, see a new landscape, and see what the world can offer me to satisfy this hunger for competition.”

Dragunov’s explanation centred on his own need to move forward, with the former WWE star describing AEW as an opportunity to explore a new wrestling landscape.

Who would you like to see Ilja Dragunov face in AEW? Share your picks in the comments.