A few months ago Ilja Dragunov parted ways with WWE, and rumors of him potentially joining All Elite Wrestling immediately started making the rounds. On Saturday night the AEW WrestleDream pay-per-view aired live from Orlando, and Dragunov officially made his debut for the company.
Following the pay-per-view Ilja Dragunov appeared on the AEW WrestleDream post-show where he explained why he decided to part ways with WWE and join AEW.
“I’ve been doing this for almost 14 years, and I’ve been through a lot of phases when it comes down to my indie career and pro wrestling career in general. I’ve traveled to places and been under contract. I’ve never had the chance where I didn’t feel like I can’t bet on myself. If I feel that this chance is limited, then it gets more limited.
“Then, I feel like I’m getting stuck somewhere. Not because of external factors, just feeling stuck in general, because I have this urge to fight. I love to fight, and I want to compete, and I want to step up. If I feel that the air in a certain environment gets thinner for me, I need to breathe. That’s what I did today, here. If I need a place to breathe new, fresh air, see a new landscape, and see what the world can offer me to satisfy this hunger for competition.”
Tony Khan has confirmed that Ilja Dragunov will be making his in-ring debut for AEW on this week’s episode of Dynamite. Stay tuned for updates.