Overview
- PWInsider reported on Thursday that Dragunov’s WWE contract expired and the company moved his profile to its alumni section, formally ending his seven-year run.
- Dragunov had not appeared on WWE television for roughly four months before the split, with his last televised match coming in April at the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal.
- Multiple outlets report WWE tried to retain him but talks stalled, with sources saying the company viewed him as a strong in-ring performer who did not move enough audience metrics to justify higher pay.
- Because his deal lapsed, Dragunov is immediately free to sign elsewhere and media outlets are already naming AEW, NJPW and other promotions as possible landing spots, though those moves remain unconfirmed.
- Wrestling coverage frames the exit as part of a wider TKO/WWE strategy that weighs clicks, view time and merchandise sales when allocating TV time and pay, a shift that could affect other wrestlers' contracts and usage going forward.