# @wrestlingnewsco on Instagram

- **Type:** Image
- **Original URL:** https://www.instagram.com/p/DdcEBIfxph_
- **Gondola URL:** https://gondola.cc/posts/70540495-wrestlingnewsco-instagram
- **Thumbnail:** https://img.gondola.cc/tr:w-,h-,fo-auto/postThumbnails/61d63575d8.jpg
- **Posted:** 2026-09-18T18:19:30.000+00:00
- **Account Owner:** Wrestling News - WWE, AEW (@wrestlingnewsco) — https://gondola.cc/wrestlingnewsco

## Caption

Ilja Dragunov has signed with AEW.

Dave Meltzer reports in the new Wrestling Observer Newsletter (wonf4w) that Dragunov “has signed and should be starting very soon.” fightfulonline reported earlier this week that he was expected to sign, but that it wasn’t known whether the deal was done.

From the Observer: “As has been expected, Ilja Dragunov (Ilja Rukober, who turns 33 in a few weeks), has signed and should be starting very soon. This was pretty apparent in August the way Tony Khan was talking about him but as he noted with the New Level, these deals often take weeks to finalize. Obviously he’s a guy who can have great matches. But at this point they almost need more TV to facilitate such a large roster and keep people in the public eye.”

Fightful’s report said Dragunov, like some other recent WWE departures, faced visa hurdles that affected his timeline. He left WWE when his contract expired, so he had no 90-day non-compete, which is why Tony Khan has been able to talk about him publicly, including at the Death Before Dishonor scrum.

#IljaDragunov #AEW #WWE #TonyKhan #WrestlingNews

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## Tags

iljadragunov, aew, wrestlingnews, tonykhan, wwe

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