AEW Announces That Ilja Dragunov Is Now All Elite

Ilja Dragunov made his AEW debut at WrestleDream 2026 at the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, Florida on Saturday night. Ilja came out to a massive pop from the audience. Nigel McGuinness described him as one of the most violent and dangerous men to walk on this planet, as The Mad Dragon entered the ring and soaked in the appreciation from fans.

Ilja Dragunov departed WWE in August 2026 after conversations regarding a new contract fell apart. AEW aired several vignettes to hype the arrival of a ‘mystery man’ in the lead-up to WrestleDream. According to Fightful Select, Ilja signed a deal with AEW recently after his visa issues were sorted.

After his appearance, AEW announced on their social media that Dragunov is now All Elite. It remains to be seen who he will face in his first AEW match.

Dragunov is a former WWE United States Champion.

He has arrived in AEW tonight at #AEWWrestleDream, and now it’s official: @UNBESIEGBAR_ZAR is All Elite! pic.twitter.com/YXt0zbYrmW

— Tony Khan (@TonyKhan) October 18, 2026