Ilja Dragunov is set for a major match at the AEW Full Gear 2026 pay-per-view.
The main event of the November 11 episode of Dynamite saw the new AEW National Champion Tommaso Ciampa defend his title against Speedball Mike Bailey. It was a stellar showdown that delivered a captivating bout for fans. Moreover, Mike Bailey was also busted open during the match, but he still kept going as a huge opportunity hung in the balance. Despite his best effort, The Psycho Killer put Bailey down and retained his title.
However, as Ciampa was celebrating his win, he was interrupted by the arrival of Ilja Dragunov. The Mad Dragon came down to the ring and confronted Ciampa. He then pointed to the titantron, and a graphic appeared, announcing that Dragunov would challenge Ciampa for the National title at the upcoming Full Gear 2026 PPV.
Interestingly, the two former WWE superstars collided for the WWE United States Championship last year. This year, they will face off against each other in AEW with the National title on the line.
Ilja Dragunov praised AEW
Ilja Dragunov left WWE after his contract expired this year and debuted at All Elite Wrestling’s WrestleDream 2026. Upon arriving in the promotion, The Mad Dragon said that Tony Khan’s company serves professional wrestling fans and is a place that loves the craft with all its heart.
“I just believe also that from the audience side, it is a company that is working for fans of professional wrestling. We love this craft. I’m the part of a company that loves this craft with all devotion and all the heart, and that’s the focus,” he said. [H/T: Fightful]
Furthermore, Dragunov’s upcoming title match at Full Gear 2026 PPV will be his first major crack at an AEW championship. So, it remains to be seen whether he will be successful.
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Edited by N.S Walia
