Ilja Dragunov, a decorated former champion in WWE's NXT, NXT UK, and United States divisions, has departed the company. WWE moved Dragunov's profile to its alumni section on Thursday, signaling the end of his tenure after his contract expired.
Dragunov, 32, signed with WWE in February 2019. He quickly established himself as a formidable competitor, capturing the NXT UK Championship. He later became the first wrestler to hold both the NXT UK and NXT Championships simultaneously when he defeated Carmelo Hayes for the NXT title in September 2023. His time in NXT concluded in April 2024, after which he was promoted to the Raw brand.
An ACL injury sidelined Dragunov for approximately a year. Upon his return, he entered the United States Championship scene, defeating Sami Zayn in October 2025 to win the title. He held the championship through several defenses before eventually losing it back to Carmelo Hayes.
Dragunov's last WWE appearance was in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal on the "Friday Night SmackDown" episode preceding WrestleMania 42. He also participated in the Royal Rumble earlier this year.
WWE Hall of Famer John Bradshaw Layfield recently commented on the depth of talent across professional wrestling in an interview with Fox News Digital.