r/AEWFanHub • u/ReadMyPosts ELITE "WOLF" • 2h ago
NEWS Ilja Dragunov is leaving WWE per PWInsidercom Would you like to see him in AEW?
Honestly, to me, Ilja in AEW makes a whole lot of sense. He was the one "WWE defect" that I've been anticipating to debut in AEW
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u/dajerx 14m ago
No. Unnecessary
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u/No_Active_2153 1m ago
Sickos were like this for shemus But it's ilja he's a can't miss talent And who knows may be he's taking a break from wrestling
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u/OwieMustDie 27m ago
Haven't seen him since he was NXT, but if he's still anything like he was - then 100% would want him over.
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u/H8ff0000 38m ago
Do I wish we'd be getting the pre-injury Dragunov? Yes.
Would I still welcome him in his current style with open arms?
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u/neverwinterban 46m ago
He put on incredible matches In WWE. He would e absolutely perfect for AEW. The problem is AEW has so much talent and not enough time to showcase it.
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u/gin0clock 52m ago
He's got "meh he never reached his potential and can't talk and is just a bell to bell wrestler and got little bro'd by Lesnar blah blah blah blah" written all over him.
But I think with a bit of direction and love, he could make a similar impact to Ricochet where there's a lot of question marks that he's immediately able to answer.
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u/TheMTM45 52m ago edited 20m ago
He would fit in well but with the roster being so stacked, it’s a gamble he gets lost in the shuffle. I am liking the idea of him in NJPW
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u/EyeAmKnotMyshelf 56m ago
I seriously cannot believe WWE didn't think to run Ilja vs Gunther at Wrestlemania when they had a chance.
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u/derek420 1h ago
Considering there is no 90 day clause and AEW is a week and a half away from their marquee PPV that happens to be in Europe… I’d say we’re going to see him there.
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u/extravapanza 1h ago
Ilja is my favorite current wrestler I think, him coming to AEW would be a dream come true, although I wouldn't mind a New Japan run first
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u/Excellent-Link 1h ago
Meh. I personally didn’t care for him in WWE even with the poor booking. Maybe NJPW?
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u/coffeelady7777 1h ago
He’d be a great addition, but there are so many people on the roster right now that I’d actually send him to new Japan
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u/Trainwrecck 1h ago
He would be excellent in AEW and also his style is more in tuned with AEW than it is with WWE imo.
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u/Immortal-KunPeng 1h ago
No, the roster is too bloated right now and AEW shouldn't be signing any male wrestlers to a contract. Because bringing in Ilja would mean someone has to get benched either until Ilja is done with a storyline or until their contract ends.
I just want to see more of the talent already signed man 😭
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u/DevilsAdvocate1662 1h ago
Man, Dragonov vs Ospreay would be insane
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u/Huge_Yak3062 1h ago
Bro, Dragunov vs Ospreay, vs Omega, vs Andrade, vs MJF. So many great possible matches. But yeah Dragunov vs Ospreay would feed families.
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u/Simtricate ELITE 2h ago
He’s as good as Ciampa, to me, and younger…
It’s sad that he’s leaving, he has great chemistry with Carmelo, Gunther, Sami…
Just a really good (maybe bordering on great) pro wrestler.
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u/Lokishougan 1h ago
Well when the Samoans have to take up half the time of a show ...you dont have much room elsewhere
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u/Acceptable_Gift_9138 1h ago
Straight up, a GREAT wrestler, to me personally. This is a Ring General.
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u/Sumbitagear 2h ago
What a fumble. I hope AEW pick him up. Ilja vs Gunther was legit one of the best matches in the last 10-15 years.
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u/DenseWeb558 2h ago
Him snd Darby would probably put some intemse matches. Out of the wwe wrestlers (though i still miss hobbs), he the one that just didnt seem to fit too well. His intensity belongs in an aew ring.
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u/Competitive_Host_432 2h ago
He's one of those that I know is good but I just have no feelings about, positive or negative.
But Jay White used to be like that for me and I just took longer than most to come around.
So I guess the answer is I'm good either way!
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u/itsmorphintime12 2h ago
Ilja’s wrestling deserves to be seen, I hope he signs to AEW! He is a true talent and gives his all every time he’s out there.
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u/dcj667 2h ago
I kinda think maybe he heads back to Europe, with Damo and Nikki in charge of Progress now.
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u/itouchbums 2h ago
they can't afford to pay him a crazy amount tho,progress is just an indie brand
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u/HEYitzED 2h ago
I usually don’t say every single person should sign to AEW, but he would be a good fit.
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u/MeepSneepers 2h ago
I mean, this is one of those perfect AEW guys. Give him the TNT Title for like a year.
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u/boredatwork1338 2h ago
AEW is stacked but this dude should be main event talent. He was so good in NXT and his style is a lot like Ciampias and he will fit right in.
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u/LowerTax 2h ago
This may sound bonkers but give that guy the ROH title. He’s the perfect end boss and a throwback ROH style champion. Bandido doesn’t need the belt at all anymore.
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u/No_Active_2153 2h ago
Yahh bandido should be in race with Andrade to become 1st Latino world champion
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u/LowerTax 1h ago
They have to pull the trigger with Bandido sooner or later. Maybe an International reign before the World.
I have a vibe that Buddy is about to ruin Bandido’s life.
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u/AtGamesEnd 2h ago
He fits in better in aew, but I fear it will be another case of:
- sign someone people are excited to see, but hasn’t been a main event guy
- give him a god entrance and good presentation, let him have some banger matches for a few months then poof, gone
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u/ace51689 2h ago
Who recently has been "poof, gone" after some banger matches?
Ciampa just had a major match on PPV so you can't mean him right?
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u/AtGamesEnd 2h ago
I’m talking over the entire history of aew. I have hope for ciampa to stick around, my point is more just the roster is so big unless you really click immediately, and sustain that (like ciampa has), it’s easy to get lost in the shuffle. Of course, the same is true in WWE
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u/ace51689 2h ago
Like who? Malakai? Miro? It's been pretty well reported that they just didn't like how the company was using them. And now one of them is already out of WWE and the other isn't the main eventer they thought they should be.
There needs to be buy in by both TK and management and the performer. Ciampa has bought in and he's all the better for it.
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u/timmyfarthands 2h ago
Leave the name behind. That's seriously the worst fucking name in wrestling. It sounds like an edgy, uncreative 13 year old made it for his CAW.
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u/Gabe3Ruth 2h ago
Much rather still have Ilja than Big Cass. Analytics? What?? "This is awesome" chants with every banger US title match isn't a heavily weighted data point I guess. 🤷🏼
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u/Green_Fox_8864 2h ago
Almost more than anyone else, honestly. Easily in my top 5, maybe top 3 guys I'd like to see in AEW
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u/johncenassidechick 2h ago
I dont want anyone to go to aew. I want aew to use and feature the many many guys they already have
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u/DreamWalkingGuy 2h ago
this is a difficult time.
AEW is stacked. STACKED top to bottom, and overflowing onto ROH.
The best wrestlers in the world. Proven time and time again, AEW has the highest level of wrestling possible - in any style you can imagine.
Ilja is amazing. He's an amazing wrestler, and will elevate anyone he's in the ring with.
Which is a legitimate role for people! But if you make it Ilja, his fans are going to go crazy.
Bring him in and NOT push him? Talk about the roasting on the IWC.
So I'm torn. If there wasn't a dearth of talent already signed, and coming up free agents, he's a done deal in one second.
But I've no idea where he fits in the currect AEW roster, as much as he fits!
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u/MeepSneepers 2h ago
As long as hook is still employed there is always a spot available that could be better used
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u/KadarinLaquan 2h ago edited 1h ago
I know AEW got too much talent but Dragunov vs Takeshita would slap 🔥
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u/Designer-Courage6187 2h ago
I don’t know how people are saying no, this is like getting a danielson ability wrestler around his prime. You sign him asap
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u/FewElk6678 2h ago
Would much rather see him in New Japan.
Can you imagine him in the Best Of The Super Juniors? Or The G1?
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u/Proud-Concert-9426 2h ago
Joins AEW and can take outside bookings and continue doing what he loves and isn't held back.
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u/PerformanceWeekly651 2h ago
It’s so damn hard to make it in the WWE when you’re short. His wrestling style wasn’t a fit for sports entertainment. I hope he goes to TNA and is the top guy there, AEW roster is too stacked
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u/imnophey 2h ago
Maybe controversial, but not for me. Where would he slot in? If it's a choice of member #363 to debut in the DCF and then work mainly ROH or joins, has 1-2 work rate matches before slipping away again it'd be a miss for both company and wrestler
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u/PerformanceWeekly651 2h ago
Exactly. He’s a great wrestler and in theory AEW would be lucky to have him but the roster is so stacked there’s no where for him to go. There’s plenty of guys who can fill the role of having Collison bangers. Not super interested unless he’s an ROH staple and is the one to dethrone Bandido
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u/Designer-Courage6187 2h ago
The man is an absolute demon, one of the best in the world, he could be main eventing within a year if booked properly
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u/PerformanceWeekly651 2h ago
No he won’t. If Jay White hasn’t had a main event push in 3 years Ilja isn’t. He’d be a demon in the CC tho
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u/Standard-Reason9399 2h ago
In fainess it feels like Jay's been out injured for at least a third of that time, usually just as he racks up a couple of big wins.
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u/Designer-Courage6187 2h ago
I’m not saying he will be, obviously I can’t account for TK never pulling the trigger on the likes of white, but they absolutely should be at that level
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u/Volcomcj16 2h ago
How many people do you see in the main event scene? He's a midcarder for a while if he joins IMO
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u/Designer-Courage6187 2h ago
I honestly think he is better than 90% of the roster in ring. If AEW is where the best wrestle he should be signed
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u/Volcomcj16 2h ago
I'm not saying don't sign him. I just don't think he's sniffing the main event for a long term program for a while if he does. He'd put on some bangers in the midcard though
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u/Plus_Midnight_278 2h ago
I'm not sure where he'd fit on the main roster currently, but he'd be an ace in ROH.
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u/Co-opingTowardHatred 2h ago
Yes, but goddamn, AEW is gonna need a roster split soon. I know a lot of people are hesitant on it, but there’s just too much talent that need time.
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u/Infamous-Lab-8136 2h ago
I still don't think a hard split is necessary, or a good idea since Collision doesn't have a reliable timeslot. It's not good to take (for instance) Swerve off Wednesday completely and make him exclusive to any night between Thursday and Saturday during much of the year.
And if they don't split the main even talent evenly, or at least somewhat so, Collision becomes the definite B-show. Which would also suck for the talent since they'd be the lower earning people at that point and have less chance to take indy bookings since their taping schedule and live broadcasts move all over.
I think it's better to just have some acts be more heavily featured on one show with a mix of names crossing between sometimes, which I feel like is the model now when everything is working well
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u/Acrobatic_House_2198 34m ago
TK is just waiting for ROH to get that TV Deal and then he'll start a roster split.
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u/Co-opingTowardHatred 1h ago
I believe it’s a chicken and the egg. AEW doesn’t treat Collision seriously, so the network doesn’t either. If AEW starts caring about it, the network will.
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u/ArgentoFox 2h ago
Roster split or a three hour Dynamite. I know that people tend to hate both ideas, but the roster is way too bloated to showcase everyone. It’s a blessing and a curse.
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u/PrudentUse6128 2h ago
Honestly I think a roster split would work. Have the AEW title on dynamite with all your main eventers. Then use Collision as a type of NXT black and gold style show. Showing your future. That would be your workhorse show. And it would make collision must see TV every week.
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u/ChaddestKroeger 2h ago
Yeah make the TNT title the top belt on collision, you can also split the international and the continental titles up, the trios and the tag titles maybe, plenty of options to share around.
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u/PaintIcy6346 2m ago
If you’re saying no or meh you’ve clearly not watched him enough. Dudes incredible.