Ilja Dragunov has been missing from TV for almost a year (Image via Ilja Dragunov's X handle)
WWE currently has some stars who are on the shelf and haven't been seen on TV in a while. One of those talents is former NXT Champion Ilja Dragunov, who hasn't been seen on the company's programming in nine months. The 31-year-old has been away from the ring since suffering an ACL injury in September 2024.
Ad
Dragunov is a fan favorite, and many have been wondering when The Mad Dragon will return. During the latest edition of WrestleVotes Q&A on Sportskeeda Wrestling, WrestleVotes provided an update on the RAW Superstar's impending comeback.
The wrestling insider said that the former NXT Champion may be close to a return. He was seen at the WWE Performance Center about six weeks ago. Any wrestler who is seen at the facility amid their hiatus is nearing their comeback, and Dragunov's case may not be any different.
Ad
Trending
"Last I heard of him was about six weeks ago now. He was down at the PC. Don't know if he was doing anything inside the ring. I know he was there. Usually, that indicates things are getting closer, so maybe soon, but I can't say for sure," WrestleVotes said. [From 24:35 onwards]
Ad
Ilja Dragunov and Gunther had a storied rivalry in WWE NXT and produced some great matches together. With The Ring General now holding the top prize on RAW again, Dragunov could return and challenge his longtime rival, giving fans a glimpse of their remarkable chemistry.
Please credit Sportskeeda Wrestling and embed the YouTube video if you use quotes from this article.
×
Feedback
Why did you not like this content?
Was this article helpful?
Thank You for feedback
About the author
Faiz Ahmed
Faiz is a WWE writer at Sportskeeda Wrestling. He is a BBA graduate who is passionate about sports and wants to make a career in that field. This passion led to a postgraduate degree in Journalism, which helped him pivot into becoming a sports writer. When writing, he puts the utmost importance on accuracy and thorough research.
Faiz has six years of work experience across four companies. He started his career with Zomato and then moved to Amazon. He shifted to becoming a football writer at TV9 Digital and is now with Sportskeeda. He covered the Wrestling Xtreme Mania event in Gurgaon in 2025, where he had the opportunity to interview Raj The Maharaja, fka Jinder Mahal. At the same event, he also got quick interviews with former WWE Superstar Dijak and Japanese Joshi legend Emi Sakura.
When it comes to his favourite wrestlers, Faiz has two names in mind. He loved to watch Triple H before the current WWE CCO retired, and he is a huge fan of Roman Reigns. Being a loyal fan since the Tribal Chief's SHIELD days, Faiz credits Roman's mic skills and unmatched in-ring storytelling for his mega success. When he was young, one in-ring story left a lasting impression on his mind and eventually got him hooked on WWE. That match was Shawn Michaels vs. Ric Flair at WrestleMania 24. Apart from that, he is also a fan of RAW.
When Faiz is not writing for Sportskeeda, he loves to keep up with other sports. He is an avid cricket and football fan, a huge gamer, and loves playing some RPGs on the PlayStation.
'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,/9j/2wBDAAYEBQYFBAYGBQYHBwYIChAKCgkJChQODwwQFxQYGBcUFhYaHSUfGhsjHBYWICwgIyYnKSopGR8tMC0oMCUoKSj/2wBDAQcHBwoIChMKChMoGhYaKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCgoKCj/wgARCAAGAAoDASIAAhEBAxEB/8QAFgABAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAMF/8QAFAEBAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAf/aAAwDAQACEAMQAAAAybgf/8QAIBAAAQMEAgMAAAAAAAAAAAAAAwECBQAEBgcyNBIi0v/aAAgBAQABPwCZ0blYyNYSWjSkRyv7dwnr58eNWWqstBZAE6SjVVg2t7Rviv/EABQRAQAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAD/2gAIAQIBAT8Af//EABURAQEAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAEA/9oACAEDAQE/ABv/2Q=='%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Trending
