An absent WWE star has reportedly been pitched for a rivalry with AJ Styles upon his return to action. Styles challenged Dominik Mysterio for the Intercontinental Championship last weekend at SummerSlam 2025.According to a report from Boozer Rasslin, Ilja Dragunov has been pitched for a rivalry with AJ Styles when he is cleared to return to action. The Mad Dragon suffered a torn ACL during a match against Gunther at a WWE Live Event in September 2024. Dragunov was called up to the main roster in 2024 after an impressive stint in NXT.The Judgment Day's Dominik Mysterio defeated AJ Styles at SummerSlam to retain the Intercontinental Championship. Mysterio did not want his stablemates involved in the match and was able to outsmart the legend to retain the title. Styles approached Dirty Dom this past Monday night on WWE RAW and made it known that he would be coming after the Intercontinental Championship as long as Mysterio held the title.Former WWE writer criticizes AJ Styles' storylineWrestling legend Vince Russo recently criticized AJ Styles' storyline on WWE RAW and claimed it was silly.Dominik Mysterio was supposed to defend the Intercontinental Championship against The Phenomenal One at Night of Champions earlier this year, but the match was postponed.Styles spent the next few weeks playing mind games with Mysterio by dressing up in different disguises. Speaking on Sportskeeda's Legion of RAW show, Russo claimed that the storyline was silly and wondered what the point of it was."The whole last three weeks, four weeks, whatever it is, this was the premise: AJ is keeping an eye on Dom until he gets cleared. That’s nothing. So now, this week, they had him in costume. ‘Oh, I am a valet, oh I am a Janitor, because I’m keeping my eye on you till you get cleared.’ We know eventually that he’s going to get cleared. So what is the point of three weeks of Aj doing this? What is the point of all that silliness?" said Russo. AJ Styles @AJStylesOrgLINKThis is what I get for being bored. Anyway, how about that mixed match challenge?It will be fascinating to see what the promotion has planned for Styles after he failed to capture the Intercontinental Championship at SummerSlam.