As PWMania.com previously noted, previous WWE United States Champion Ilja Dragunov is set to leave the company as his current contract is expiring.
F4WOnline’s Bryan Alvarez has brought to light additional details about Dragunov on his Twitter (X) account. Alvarez mentioned that WWE and Dragunov were in discussions for his reappearance to television as just recently as June. Along those lines, as per F4WOnline.com — further reports indicated that WWE had hoped to retain Dragunov, on the flip side he chose to let his agreement expire. He wrote, “Not sure what happened, but Ilja and WWE were conveyed to be strongly negotiating a return as recently as June.”
There is currently no information on why Dragunov’s anticipated return to WWE programming did not materialize. Dave Meltzer previously stated on Wrestling Observer Radio that WWE officials did not see Dragunov as a “top guy.”
Dragunov concluding showed up on WWE programming on April 17, during the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal, which aired the night before WrestleMania 42.