Ilja Dragunov’s WWE Future Revealed Amid Extended Absence
Ilja Dragunov has not appeared on a WWE taping for a couple of months.
Dragunov last competed in the 2026 Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal on the go-home edition of SmackDown before WrestleMania 42. The match was eventually won by Royce Keys.
In October 2025, he returned to television as part of the SmackDown roster after being out of action for a year due to a torn ACL.
In his comeback match, Ilja Dragunov answered Sami Zayn’s United States Championship open challenge and defeated the Canadian wrestler to be crowned the new US Champion.
As a babyface wrestler on the blue brand, the Russian superstar continued the US Championship open challenge, where he faced the likes of Aleister Black, Nathan Frazer, Johnny Gargano, Carmelo Hayes, and Tommaso Ciampa.
On the December 19 edition of SmackDown, Hayes defeated him, ending his 63-day reign as the champion.
The following month, he made his Royal Rumble debut as the #17 entrant before being eliminated by Brock Lesnar.
Ilja Dragunov To Return To WWE TV “Sooner Than Later”
Ilja Dragunov’s disappearance from SmackDown has been one of the most perplexing ones, as far as viewers are concerned, due to no explanation given for it.
However, there may be good news for his fans, as the latest report by Bryan Alvarez of Wrestling Observer claims that he could be seen on TV sooner rather than later.
‘Ilja Dragunov expected back sooner than later,’ Alvarez wrote.
Despite being off television, the 32-year-old has remained active and was spotted training at the Hart Dungeon in Canada along with his partner and former WWE star Jin Tala.
Even Fightful Select and Sean Ross Sapp had previously confirmed that no injury to Dragunov was reported.
He’s at least been training at the Hart Dungeon. I’ve not heard much of anything else recently, or him being involved in creative plans. He’s not been on TV since WrestleMania at all.
I haven’t specifically heard of him being injured, and I don’t think he’d be publicly training at the Dungeon if not cleared, but things have been quiet about him.
While there is no known reason why “The Mad Dragon” was pulled off television, the recent update carries more positive news for one of the most intense wrestlers on the company’s roster.