Backstage Update On AEW Status Of Ilja Dragunov & Kairi Sane Ahead Of WrestleDream

In recent months, the AEW roster has gained the likes of Dani Luna, The New Level, and the Motor City Machine Guns. Looking ahead, even more names are expected to arrive, too.

According to Fightful Select, former WWE United States Champion Ilja Dragunov has officially put pen to paper with All Elite Wrestling after sorting out his visa situation. The outlet also confirmed that the mysterious vignette aired on Wednesday's special episode of "AEW Collision" belongs to Dragunov. The 22-second footage showed a sharply dressed man walking around a nighttime location as classical music played and a metronome ticked back and forth.

Dragunov departed WWE over the summer after opting not to renew his contract. It is unknown if his subsequent AEW debut will take place at this weekend's WrestleDream pay-per-view or elsewhere.

Another name linked to AEW recently is former WWE Women's Tag Team Champion Kairi Sane, who exited the company in the midst of a mass talent release in April 2026. Sane and AEW officials reportedly have engaged in discussions about potentially bringing "The Pirate Princess" aboard there next, but as of this week, Fightful Select has indicated that no deal has been reached.

Sane has history with the reigning AEW Women's World Champion Mercedes Mone, having wrestled each other in WWE and New Japan Pro-Wrestling. At WrestleDream, Mone will defend the AEW Women's Title against "The Toxic Spider" Thekla, another former opponent of Sane's. WrestleDream will take AEW to the Addition Financial Arena in Orlando, Florida on October 17.