The former NXT Champion appears to be officially done with WWE after months away from television
Summary
– Ilja Dragunov has been moved to WWE’s Alumni section after his contract reportedly expired
– Dragunov had been absent from television for months without an announced injury or farewell
– His departure ends a WWE run that once positioned him as one of the company’s most promising talents
Ilja Dragunov appears to be officially finished with WWE after his contract reportedly expired, as the company has already moved his profile to the Alumni section of its website.
PWInsider reported on August 20 that Dragunov is exiting WWE because his deal has expired. The website change followed quickly, adding another strong sign that his run with the company has come to an end.
The departure comes without a traditional sendoff. Dragunov last wrestled during WrestleMania weekend and then disappeared from WWE television, with no farewell match or storyline explaining his absence.
His extended time away became increasingly noticeable because WWE never publicly announced an injury. Dragunov was also seen training at the Hart Dungeon while remaining absent from weekly programming, which only added to questions surrounding his status.
Shortly before news of his departure surfaced, WrestleVotes discussed Dragunov’s standing and suggested he had not been a priority creatively. JoeyVotes said he had not heard Dragunov’s name come up in weeks, while TC pointed to WWE’s increased reliance on analytics when evaluating talent.
The discussion also touched on Dragunov’s merchandise presence, with JoeyVotes arguing that he had not been positioned as a major priority in that area either.
Now that his contract has reportedly expired and his profile has been moved to Alumni, the focus shifts away from when Dragunov might return to WWE television.
Instead, the bigger question is where the former NXT Champion could appear next after an abrupt end to his WWE run.
