Having made his first appearance at AEW WrestleDream, Ilja Dragunov stepped into the ring for his first match on Dynamite.

The former WWE star parted ways with that company earlier this year, with his AEW debut being held up due to visa issues that were resolved days before WrestleDream.

A match was confirmed for the October 21 episode of AEW Dynamite, with Dragunov’s first opponent being name as Speedball Mike Bailey.

With that match in the record books and a win marked for Dragunov, where next for the star:

A clean, hard-hitting debut

It was a match that was bound to please AEW fans and remind many why Dragunov should be a jewel in the crown, with Bailey also showing all the ability he brings to the proceedings.

There was a distinct lack of challengers to Dragunov, with the star not being met by any potential future challenger, allowing both stars to deliver with intensity, focus and ferocity from start to finish.

Placing the match as the main event of the show positions Dragunov as a top star, without going on to rely on a closing shot of everyone who wants a shot at him to drive to point home.

Who’s next?

AEW Dynamite saw the set up of Blood and Guts, with Will Ospreay teaming with Adam Copeland, Steven Borden, Darby Allin & The Young Bucks, against The Don Callis Family (Kyle Fletcher, Kazuchika Okada, Wardlow, Kevin Knight, Mark Davis & Jake Doyle).

With that match taking place on November 4, all members will likely to be consumed by that feud, leaving the likely candidates – Ospreay and Fletcher in particular – out of a potential match with Dragunov in the coming weeks.

Indeed, it could be argued that Dragunov’s focus shouldn’t be on either star until a major pay-per-view approaches. However the newly signed AEW star is used, an undefeated streak against credible competitors would be a strong way to use Dragunov.

An undefeated streak that takes him to the Continental Classic, with last year’s tournament kicking off in late November, would be a good use for the star, launching into a championship tournament against a number of first-time opponents.

First-time opponents

A WWE star since January 2019 until his departure earlier this year, it would be an easy choice to throw Dragunov in the ring with the likes of Tommaso Ciampa to recapture their time together, but there’s more to be made from placing him against opponents he has never encountered.

With AEW having its far share of former WWE stars, he’s bound to cross paths with any number of them eventually, but the company also has a crop of signings that came directly from the independent scene or were home grown.

The idea of Dragunov vs. HOOK is a strong one, particularly with their intense styles, as would a singles match against Eddie Kingston, Kenny Omega, Bandido, Konosuke Takeshita, or Kazuchika Okada, the current International Champion. Indeed, the sight of Jack Perry stepping up to Dragunov would be a match that might raise eyebrows, given the former Jungle Boy’s recent form and a desire to prove a point.

‘Many symphonies to come’

Hyping his AEW Dynamite debut, Dragunov set out his own vision for his future, saying:

“There are many, many, many symphonies to come and I will conduct them like a maestro.”

For Dragunov, it looks like he really has found his home after reports emerged that he and WWE were “far enough apart” when it came to new contract negotiations.

The star has stepped into a company of new opponents, potentially revisiting past rivalries, and then there’s the championship opportunities that await him.