Andrew Ravens
Ilja Dragunov has not competed in a WWE ring in a couple of months, but a return appears to be approaching.
Bryan Alvarez reports that Dragunov is expected back “sooner than later,” offering the first concrete update on his timeline since his extended absence began.
Dragunov’s most recent match came prior to WrestleMania 42, when he participated in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal on SmackDown. Before that appearance, he had been heavily involved in the United States Championship picture, having captured his first main roster title when he defeated Sami Zayn for the belt in October 2025. He held the championship for just over two months before losing it to Carmelo Hayes. The title is currently held by Trick Williams.
The reason for Dragunov’s absence since April has not been publicly disclosed, but he has remained physically active throughout the layoff. He has been attending regular training sessions at Nattie and TJ Wilson’s Dungeon wrestling facility, with Dragunov and his significant other Leigh Laurel — the former NXT and Evolve wrestler Jin Tala — present for training as recently as June 17.
Dragunov is a former NXT Champion and NXT UK Champion, and his run as United States Champion marked his first taste of main roster singles gold. No exact return date has been reported, but with Alvarez’s update suggesting his comeback is drawing near, fans should expect more clarity in the coming weeks.
Should this be the case, he was last seen on SmackDown and likely returns there. It would be interesting to see if WWE opts to go against the norm and move him to Raw just to change things up. Perhaps, even a short program in NXT would serve him well. These options give him a fresh start with new people to work with.
