Ilja Dragunov’s extended absence from WWE television has fueled plenty of fan speculation, but at least one rumor making the rounds appears to be false.
A fan claimed on X that Dragunov had been pulled from programming specifically because he refused to sign a contract extension, though no evidence was offered to back up the claim.
Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp shot the theory down directly, publicly questioning why the fan would spread that kind of claim without anything to support it.
What exactly is behind Dragunov’s absence remains unclear, but the timeline paints a picture of a wrestler who’s gradually faded from WWE programming over the course of the year.
His most recent match came as part of the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal on SmackDown back in April, which was won by Royce Keys. His last actual victory in a WWE ring dates back even further, to January.
Dragunov was called up to the main roster following WrestleMania 40 in 2024, and previously held the NXT and WWE United States Championships during his run with the company.
