Contract talks reportedly stalled months before Dragunov officially became a free agent
Summary
– WWE reportedly stopped using Ilja Dragunov after contract talks broke down in April
– Dragunov’s contract expired on August 20, making him a free agent
– WWE reportedly felt his business numbers did not justify the money involved
Ilja Dragunov’s WWE departure reportedly started taking shape months before his contract officially expired, with contract negotiations said to have broken down as far back as April.
According to Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter, Dragunov’s WWE deal expired on August 20, making him a free agent. Meltzer also reported that Dragunov does not have a non-compete clause preventing him from appearing elsewhere.
Dragunov had not wrestled since WrestleMania weekend, leading to months of questions about why he disappeared from WWE television. Meltzer said he repeatedly asked about Dragunov’s status and was told that he was not injured, with creative simply not using him.
One explanation suggested WWE had nothing planned for Dragunov, while another indicated that creative had specifically been told he was unavailable to use. Meltzer now reports that the situation was tied to contract negotiations rather than an injury or lack of ideas alone.
Dragunov was reportedly working under what was described as a very good contract when talks began over a new deal. According to Meltzer, the two sides were far enough apart financially that WWE decided in April to stop using him on television.
The report also states that WWE respected Dragunov’s ability inside the ring but did not view him as someone producing the business numbers needed to justify the level of money being discussed. That reportedly became a major factor in the negotiations failing to produce another agreement.
The timeline gives new context to Dragunov’s lengthy absence. Rather than WWE waiting throughout the summer to find the right return story, the company had reportedly already decided months earlier not to feature him while his contract ran down.
Previous reports had suggested WWE still valued Dragunov and would have preferred to keep him, while other discussions pointed toward the company’s growing reliance on analytics when evaluating talent. A possible post-SummerSlam return was also reportedly considered, but nothing ultimately reached television.
Dragunov’s contract has now expired, ending his WWE run without a farewell match or final television storyline. With no reported non-compete period, he is free to pursue another wrestling opportunity immediately.
