AEW’s Newest Signing Will Be Another Huge Success

It has been expected ever since news emerged that he was exiting WWE upon the end of his contract, but reports have finally confirmed that AEW’s latest signing will be none other than Ilja Dragunov. Fightful Select has revealed that Dragunov is heading to AEW, with the fine-tuning of the deal still needing to be worked out. Given some of the teases from AEW wrestlers, the giddiness of Tony Khan when asked about Dragunov’s free agency, and this report, it looks all but confirmed that Dragunov will be All Elite. This is a huge coup for AEW, and there is no doubt that he will be the promotion’s latest success story.

Ilja Dragunov Is The Perfect Fit For AEW

• Dragunov is better without having chains and constraints like he did in WWE.
• Dragunov’s in-ring style will ensure show-stealing AEW matches.
• AEW will give Dragunov a platform to succeed.

Throughout his career both inside and outside of WWE, Ilja Dragunov has time and time again shown world class in-ring ability. His feud with Gunther is iconic, competing in matches highly regarded as some of the best to have ever taken place in WWE, plus elevating the likes of Carmelo Hayes, Trick Williams, and Bron Breakker in NXT. Despite not being handed a whole bunch of chances on the WWE main roster, Dragunov made his minutes count with some of the best TV matches of the year against the likes of Ricochet in the 2024 King Of The Ring tournament, and in United States Title matches against names such as Sami Zayn and Tommaso Ciampa. Unfortunately, Dragunov was constantly underappreciated.

Over the water in AEW, in-ring workrate is one of the most important things, with the focus being on putting on show-stealing matches to give the fans their money’s worth. This the correct environment for Dragunov. AEW is a place in which wrestlers are given more freedom to be themselves, wrestle how they want, and give their best work from an in-ring perspective. Working with the likes of Kyle Fletcher, Brody King, Bandido, Jon Moxley, Claudio Castagnoli, and countless of others is what Dragunov should be doing, rather than getting unceremoniously thrown out of Royal Rumble matches by Brock Lesnar and sitting on the sidelines for months on end.

AEW’s Recent Signings Have Been A Huge Hit

• Tony Khan has made good use of recent signees.
• Ex-WWE stars like The New Level, Tommaso Ciampa, Andrade El Idolo had an immediate impact.
• Other recent arrivals in Jake Doyle, Steven Borden, and others have fit in well.

There are high hopes for Ilja Dragunov’s arrival in AEW due to the fact that the recent track record of Tony Khan’s handling of new signings has been pretty darn good. In 2026 alone, ex-WWE wrestlers in The New Level, Tommaso Ciampa and Andrade El Idolo have won championship gold, had show-stealing matches, and been involved in notable storylines, seamlessly fitting into the promotion without much of an issue.

Other names who have joined the company in the last year or so such as Jake Doyle, Steven Borden, Mike Bailey, and Persephone have settled well, shown potential, and in some cases gotten their hands on championship gold. For someone who has the levels of talent that Dragunov possesses, there is little doubt that Tony Khan will find a spot for him on the roster and build him far better than he was in WWE.

AEW Should Push Ilja Dragunov As A Big Singles Star

• Ilja Dragunov should not join an AEW faction.
• He needs to be presented like a big singles star in AEW.
• Dragunov can be an electric babyface on AEW’s roster.

AEW is a faction-heavy company, with the likes of the Don Callis Family, Death Riders, Bang Bang Gang, The Dogs, The Conglomeration, and more conjuring up many members, but in the case of the soon-to-arrive Dragunov, he must remain free of a stable. Dragunov’s potential is as a singles competitor, and standing on his own two feet will do wonders for him on AEW programming. Allowing Dragunov the opportunity to fend for himself, cut promos on his own, and take down opponents without help, will open the door to him being presented as a big deal and defined star.

Dragunov’s babyface potential is endless, as proven by his underdog journey back in his NXT UK days, and this will achieve its fullest potential as a singles star. The AEW roster is admittedly very busy and stacked with lots of wrestlers hoping to break out, but Dragunov’s arrival is absolutely a positive for both he and the company.