It appears Ilja Dragunov's time in WWE has ended, with the former United States Champion's nearly seven-year run with the company abruptly concluding this week.
According to PWInsider.com, Dragunov's WWE contract has expired, and the two sides have failed to agree on a new deal. Fightful has since corroborated the report, while Dragunov's profile being moved to WWE's Alumni section further confirms that his time with the company is over.
The news is particularly surprising given the momentum Dragunov had built following his return from a devastating torn ACL injury. After spending roughly a year on the sidelines, "The Mad Dragon" returned to WWE television in late 2025 and immediately made an impact.
He defeated Sami Zayn to capture the United States Championship in October 2025, embarking on an impressive run that saw him defend the title in a series of hard-hitting matches against the likes of Aleister Black, Johnny Gargano, Tommaso Ciampa, and Carmelo Hayes.
He ultimately dropped the championship to Hayes, and from there, he immediately seemed to slip down the card until he was forgotten. Dragunov competed in the Royal Rumble in Saudi Arabia earlier this year but made only a handful of appearances afterwards, with his final WWE television outing coming in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal ahead of WrestleMania 42.
Interestingly, the latest reports suggest WWE did not necessarily want to lose Dragunov. According to False Finish, the company wanted to retain the 32-year-old and was reportedly interested in bringing him back to television following SummerSlam. Dragunov, however, apparently chose to allow his contract to expire rather than sign a new agreement.
That makes the timing of his departure all the more intriguing. For a brief spell, Dragunov was one of WWE's most protected performers yet was then largely absent from television despite reportedly remaining healthy and continuing to train.
His WWE career nevertheless leaves behind an impressive list of accomplishments. Dragunov captured the NXT UK Championship, NXT Championship, and United States Championship. His return last year drew widespread praise, so we don't know why WWE gave up on him.
Now a free agent, Dragunov immediately becomes one of the biggest names available on the wrestling market. There is already obvious speculation about a potential move to AEW, especially with All In taking place at Wembley Stadium on August 30, although there is currently no confirmation regarding his next destination.
Neither WWE nor Dragunov have comments on his departure from the company as we write this.