Ilja Dragunov is officially All Elite after making her spectacular debut at WrestleDream 2026 PPV.
Halfway through the event, Renee Paquette came out on the entrance ramp and announced that a new star had joined AEW. Following that, a huge bar was shown ticking, and then the light went out. When the lights came back on, Ilja Dragunov showed up.
The Mad Dragon marched through the ringside area in a spectacular suit, then stepped into the ring. He began posing on the turnbuckle as the crowd gave a huge pop for his arrival. Afterward, Dragunov made his way up the entrance ramp and gave a final glance before exiting. You can watch his entire debut segment below:
Ilja Dragunov rose to prominence in the mainstream for his stint in WWE NXT UK, NXT, and then on the main roster. He returned to WWE last year as part of SmackDown and won the WWE United States Championship in his first match back.
That gave the impression that he would be pushed as a major player on the blue brand. However, Dragunov has been absent from TV since April 2026. Moreover, details about his exit suggest WWE stopped viewing him as a major player, and he then left the promotion when his contract expired. Moreover, he was speculated to head to AEW, which eventually came true at WrestleDream PPV.
Now, Ilja Dragunov is officially part of the AEW roster. So, it will be interesting to see his new journey unfold.
