He says he took time to rest before his talks with AEW moved quickly.
Summary
– Dragunov says AEW was the only promotion he spoke with after leaving WWE
– He spent time resting before deciding on his next move
– He says his discussions with AEW came together quickly
Ilja Dragunov says AEW was the only wrestling promotion he spoke with after his WWE contract expired. The former WWE star discussed his free agency in an interview with Ariel Helwani.
Dragunov said he spent much of that period resting instead of reaching out to several companies. Once he was ready to consider his next move, his talks with AEW progressed quickly.
He did not give an exact signing date, but said the deal came together shortly after his WWE contract expired in August. His AEW arrival was later delayed while he waited for his visa. After learning his passport was ready, he contacted the company and was on a flight back to the United States within hours.
Dragunov made his AEW debut at WrestleDream. His account suggests the move followed a brief period of rest and direct talks with the promotion.
