Last Saturday, “The Mad Dragon” Ilya Dragunov made his debut for AEW at WrestleDream, leaving behind the prelude he created in WWE for seven years to start fresh. When asked why he joined rival WWE, the most recent All Elite signee said his decision came down to wanting to expand his career horizons and embrace a new landscape that would challenge him.
“I’ve been doing this for almost 14 years and I’ve been through a lot of phases when it comes to my indie career and professional wrestling career in general. I have traveled places and been under contract. I’ve never had an opportunity where I didn’t feel like I couldn’t bet on myself. with WrestleDream media scrum. “I feel like I’m stuck somewhere. Not because of external factors, just stuck in general because I want to fight. I love to fight and I want to compete and I want to get stronger. I feel that in a certain environment the air is getting thin for me, I need to breathe. That’s what I did today, here.”
Hungry for top competition, Dragunov is confident that AEW will quench his thirst by allowing him to compete in tougher fights.
“It’s a landscape of endless possibilities that I see before my eyes, because if we say AEW is ‘where the best wrestling is,’ how could I not belong here? he concluded.
Dragunov’s sudden departure took place last August he and the company could not agree on his contractual pay as part of a new deal. “Invincible” will make his own in-ring debut this Wednesday at AEW Dynamite.
If you use any of the quotes from this article, please credit “AEW” with ah/t to Wrestling Inc. for the transcription.