Former WWE star Ilja Dragunov will wrestle his first match for AEW tonight, just days after officially joining the company.
Dragunov will face “Speedball” Mike Bailey on Wednesday’s episode of AEW Dynamite from the Watsco Center in Coral Gables, Florida. The match comes four days after the former NXT and United States Champion made his surprise AEW debut at WrestleDream.
Dragunov’s arrival follows the expiration of his WWE contract in August, ending a seven-year run with the company.
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Ilja Dragunov Explains Why He Left WWE
Ahead of his first AEW match, Dragunov appeared on The Ariel Helwani Show and opened up about his decision to leave WWE.
Dragunov confirmed that WWE wanted to retain him, but said his decision was based on several factors, including the offer, his creative direction and a desire for a change after spending most of his 20s with the company.
“There was nothing that I felt satisfied with,” Dragunov told Helwani when discussing WWE’s offer, adding that there was nothing that made him feel, “I must stick with this.”
Dragunov said he first began wondering whether WWE was still the right place for him around March or April. After losing the United States Championship at the end of 2025, he felt there could have been more opportunity to tell a story beyond simply holding a title. His final WWE appearance came in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal in April, although he said he did not know at the time that it would be his final match.
Following the expiration of his contract, Dragunov said AEW was the only other promotion he spoke with. The two sides reached an agreement quickly, although his debut was delayed while his visa process played out.
Ilja Dragunov Makes AEW In-Ring Debut Tonight
Now, Dragunov gets his first opportunity to show what his post-WWE career will look like.
His first opponent will be Bailey, who competed in the Clockwork Carnage match for the AEW World Championship at WrestleDream.
AEW Dynamite airs live tonight at 8 p.m. ET on TBS and HBO Max.
