A top AEW champion is open to a showdown with a former WWE superstar who got released recently.
The champion mentioned is Kyle Fletcher, and he spoke about Ilja Dragunov. The Mad Dragon had been off WWE television since April 2026 and recently departed the company after his contract expired. Just after, Kyle Fletcher had posted a photo from their match in PROGRESS Wrestling in 2019.
In a recent interview with The Sportster, Kyle Fletcher was asked about a potential rematch with Ilja Dragunov. The current AEW International Champion said that the thought of having another showdown with Dragunov was exciting. He said:
There’s been many people I’ve got in the ring that I have that feeling. And I know that Ilja is one of those people. And the thought of another match between us after everything that’s happened excites me very much.
Since Ilja Dragunov’s contract expired, he is a free agent who can sign with another promotion. Moreover, Tony Khan also recently praised Dragunov as a competitor amid rumors of his AEW signing.
On the other hand, Kyle Fletcher is scheduled to defend his AEW International title against Konosuke Takeshita and Kazuchika Okada at the upcoming All In 2026 event. So, it will be interesting to see if Fletcher can survive the odds and retain his title.
