Ilja Dragunov explains his decision to leave WWE for AEW after his WrestleDream debut.

Former WWE United States Champion Ilja Dragunov left the promotion in August 2026 after his contract expired. He chose not to renew, and reports noted that while company officials considered him a great talent, they didn’t believe he was a “numbers mover” for the money he was asking.

After weeks of speculation and reports pointing towards it, Ilja Dragunov made his AEW debut at the WrestleDream pay-per-view this past Saturday.

Ilja Dragunov says he needed a new landscape to satisfy his hunger for competition

Appearing at the WrestleDream post-show press conference, Ilja Dragunov explained why he left WWE for AEW. He said he always has the urge to step up and fight. He explained that if an environment starts holding him back from competing at his best, he has to step away to find fresh air and new challenges.

“My decisions and factors? 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,” Dragunov began.

“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— that’s the easiest answer I can give to that question,” Dragunov said. [H/T Cageside Seats]

The post ‘I Need To Breathe’: Ilja Dragunov on Leaving WWE for AEW appeared first on Wrestlezone.