Ilja Dragunov may very well be closing in on his long-awaited return to WWE television.
The previous WWE United States Champion has been absent from programming since April, along with his last appearance coming within the 2026 Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal on the SmackDown before WrestleMania 42. In line with a report from Bryan Alvarez, sources inside WWE consider Dragunov is anticipated to return “earlier than later.”
The explanation for Dragunov’s absence has not been disclosed. Nonetheless, the report notes that he has remained energetic behind the scenes, continuing to coach alongside his partner Leigh Laurel, higher generally known as Jin Tala, at Natalya and TJ Wilson’s Dungeon 2.0 training facility. The pair were reportedly on the gym as recently as June 17.
Earlier this month, one other report indicated that some WWE officials don’t currently view Dragunov as a long-term “top guy” on the primary roster, despite his in-ring status and former success.
Dragunov captured the WWE United States Championship on October 17, 2025, before dropping the title to Carmelo Hayes on December 19. Interestingly, his former NXT rival Trick Williams now holds the championship.
Presently, WWE has not announced an official return date for Dragunov, but the newest backstage update suggests fans may not must wait for much longer to see “The Mad Dragon” back in motion.
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