Could 31-year-old WWE Superstar finally return and cost AJ Styles the Intercontinental Title?

AJ Styles went one-on-one against Dominik Mysterio at WWE SummerSlam 2025 with the Intercontinental Championship on the line. Sadly, Styles was unable to win the gold. He got outsmarted by Dominik, who employed an underhanded tactic to retain the title.

Towards the end of the bout, 'Dirty' Dom unlaced his wrestling boot, and Styles pulled it off when he had him in the Calf Crusher submission. Smartly enough, Mysterio took advantage of a distracted referee and attacked Styles with the same boot. He then hit a Frog Splash on Styles from the top turnbuckle and secured the victory.

However, on last week's episode of RAW, AJ Styles made it clear that he was not done with Dominik Mysterio, setting up a potential IC Title rematch for Clash in Paris. This has now led fans to wonder if Ilja Dragunov could finally return to WWE and cost The Phenomenal One. If the rematch is confirmed, the 31-year-old superstar might make his comeback at the upcoming premium live event and cost Styles in a shocking twist.

Ilja Dragunov has been sidelined with a torn ACL since September 2024. However, rumor now has it that WWE is planning to bring back the superstar for a potential feud with AJ Styles, as part of a blockbuster storyline.

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If this is proven true, Dragunov could finally make his comeback to the Stamford-based promotion and cost AJ in his potential IC Title match against Dominik at the upcoming event in France.

While this angle might sound promising, it is hypothetical and based on speculation. Nothing has been officially confirmed about Dragunov's return yet.

Triple H to set up Ilja Dragunov vs. Dominik Mysterio vs. AJ Styles for the Intercontinental Championship?

If the above scenario plays out, Triple H could set up Ilja Dragunova vs. Dominik Mystero vs. AJ Styles in a Triple Threat Match for the Intercontinental Championship.

If Dragunov feuds with Styles after returning to WWE and costing The Phenomenal One the IC Title, the latter could seek another rematch against 'Dirty' Dom. To prevent The Mad Dragon from interfering for a second time, the creative team may add him to the match, making it a three-way bout for the gold.

That said, this angle is purely speculative, and nothing is confirmed yet.

About the author

Bethel is a WWE writer at Sportskeeda Wrestling with a Bachelor's degree from the University of Nigeria, Nsukka. He has also attended a virtual school where he was certified in Effective Communication in English. His grasp of the language and his utmost dedication to researching and verifying information help him ensure he is unbiased, practical, and nonjudgmental as he writes about the world of pro wrestling.

When he looks back at how he got hooked onto WWE, Bethel particularly recalls WrestleMania 30 in 2014. Here, he saw and became an avid supporter of Roman Reigns for his courage and boldness. However, his all-time favorite is WWE Hall of Famer Stone Cold Steve Austin because of his rebellious ways and how he would thumb his nose at authority.

All of this has led Bethel to work for multiple institutions. He quickly learns the content guidelines and completes his and the company's targets effortlessly. One of the highlights of his career was covering WrestleMania 41 in 2025.

When Bethel is not writing for Sportskeeda, he loves to indulge in reading and singing.

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Edited by Arsh Das