Report: Ilja Dragunov Has Signed With AEW, Debut Expected Very Soon

Ilja Dragunov’s next chapter may be closer than many fans expected.

After weeks of speculation following his WWE departure, a new report from Dave Meltzer in the Wrestling Observer Newsletter claims that Dragunov has already signed with AEW and could be making his debut in the near future.

The report follows a recent update from Fightful Select, which stated that the former WWE United States Champion was expected to join AEW barring any unforeseen circumstances. Meltzer’s latest report goes a step further, indicating that an agreement has already been reached.

According to Meltzer, Dragunov should be starting with the company “very soon.”

Many fans had anticipated seeing the “Mad Dragon” appear at AEW All In: London 2026, particularly as the event featured the high-profile debuts of Austin Creed and Kofi as part of The New Level. However, Meltzer noted that contract negotiations and finalizing agreements can often take longer than expected, which may explain why Dragunov did not appear at Wembley Stadium.

With All In now in the rearview mirror, attention turns to where Dragunov could make his first appearance for the promotion.

One possibility is AEW All Out 2026, which takes place next weekend and has already sold out. AEW will also head to France for AEW Grand Slam France in October, a market familiar to Dragunov from his years competing across the European independent wrestling scene.

Beyond his eventual debut, the report also touched on how Dragunov could fit into an already crowded AEW roster. Meltzer noted that while Dragunov is widely regarded as one of the top in-ring performers in wrestling, AEW continues to add talent, creating increased competition for television time.

For now, AEW has not officially announced the signing. However, if the report is accurate, fans may not have to wait much longer to see Dragunov make his debut for the company.

WWE SmackDown Preview 9/18/2026

WWE SmackDown live tonight at 8/7c on the USA Network in the United States and Netflix for international fans, from the Hilliard Center in Corpus Christi, Texas.

  • Men’s and Women’s Money in the Bank qualifying matches to continue
  • Michael Cole conducts an exclusive sit-down interview with Cody Rhodes
  • Undisputed WWE Champion Sami Zayn to appear

TNA Thursday Night iMPACT! Preview 9/17/2026

TNA Thursday Night iMPACT! tonight at 9/8c on AMC.

  • TNA Knockouts Television Championship: M by Elegance (c) vs. Kiera Hogan
  • Bound For Glory X Division Title Match Qualifier: Rich Swann vs. L.J. Cleary
  • Frankie Kazarian vs. Moose (If Moose loses, he will have to leave TNA.)
  • Eddie Edwards & Cedric Alexander vs. Ricky Sosa & Elijah
  • Zoey Serrano vs. Harley Hudson
  • Leon Slater vs. Ryan Nemeth

WWE Reportedly Reviewing Crown Jewel Plans Following Updated Saudi Arabia Travel Advisory

WWE is reportedly discussing contingency plans for this year’s Crown Jewel event following an updated travel advisory issued by the U.S. State Department.

Crown Jewel remains scheduled for November 7 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, but recent reports indicate company officials have begun internal conversations about the situation after Saudi Arabia was placed under a Level 3 “Reconsider Travel” advisory. According to the report, WWE still intends to hold an event on that date, even if circumstances were to require a change in location.

The advisory cites regional security concerns, including the threat of missile and drone attacks, as well as risks related to armed conflict and terrorism. While Saudi Arabia as a whole is listed at Level 3, certain areas near the Yemen border are designated Level 4, which advises against travel.

Discussion about the situation surfaced during a recent episode of Wrestling Observer Radio, where Bryan Alvarez and Dave Meltzer addressed the advisory and its potential impact on WWE’s upcoming international schedule. Meltzer noted that Crown Jewel is the immediate concern, while also pointing out that WrestleMania 43 is currently scheduled for Riyadh in 2027.

Additional reporting from WrestleVotes stated that internal discussions are taking place within WWE regarding the travel advisory. While no final decision has reportedly been made, a company source confirmed the matter is being evaluated.

According to the report, WWE is expected to hold a show on November 7 regardless of whether it ultimately takes place in Riyadh. The date itself is reportedly tied to an ESPN-related commitment, making the event difficult to move from the calendar even if the venue were to change.

The company has already adjusted its schedule leading into Crown Jewel, with Raw and SmackDown reportedly set for a rare double taping at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center prior to the event, giving talent and staff additional travel flexibility.

Financial considerations have also been part of the discussion. Alvarez noted that significant revenue is associated with the event, while Meltzer suggested that, if necessary, WWE could potentially make up a postponed Saudi event later under its existing agreement rather than losing that revenue outright.

This is not the first time WWE has monitored developments in the region before a major Saudi Arabia event. Earlier this year, the company reportedly evaluated regional tensions before ultimately proceeding with scheduled plans. WWE President Nick Khan previously stated that the company relies on both internal security assessments and government guidance when determining whether international travel is appropriate.

As of now, Crown Jewel remains scheduled for Riyadh on November 7, and WWE has not announced any changes to the event.

Tiffany Stratton Had Scary Training Accident At WWE Performance Center

WWE star Tiffany Stratton gave fans a scare after a training session at the WWE Performance Center took an unexpected turn.

Earlier today, Stratton was livestreaming on Twitch while working out at the Performance Center when an aerial training drill went wrong. During an attempt to flip from the ropes to the floor, Stratton failed to complete the rotation and landed awkwardly near ringside.

Video from the stream showed Stratton’s head appearing to make contact with the ring apron before she fell to the floor. The impact immediately drew concern from viewers and those present during the training session.

After the landing, Stratton grabbed her neck while the person filming checked on her condition.

The WWE star quickly reassured those watching that she was okay.

“I’m good. Oh my gosh. I’m okay. That was scary. I’m okay, I hit my head but we’re good.”

The clip quickly circulated online, with fans expressing concern after seeing the awkward landing. As of this writing, Stratton has not provided any additional update beyond her comments on the livestream.

MLW Announces New Streaming Deal For Fusion On Tubi

Major League Wrestling has secured a new distribution deal that will bring its flagship program to one of the largest free streaming platforms in the United States.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, MLW Fusion will begin airing on Tubi starting Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET. The weekly series will continue to stream in that timeslot moving forward, though the length of the agreement was not disclosed.

The deal marks a significant milestone for MLW, particularly given the promotion’s history with the platform.

MLW revived Fusion in May 2026 after the show had been dormant for roughly three years. Since its return, episodes have been available free of charge on YouTube. The move to Tubi potentially expands the show’s reach considerably, as the streaming service reportedly boasts approximately 110 million monthly active users.

MLW CEO Court Bauer emphasized the importance of keeping the promotion’s content easily accessible to fans.

“We built MLW around that, no paywalls, no subscription barriers, nothing standing between a fan and the show, and Tubi shares that same fan-first philosophy at scale,” Bauer told The Hollywood Reporter.

The agreement is particularly notable given the legal battle that previously involved both companies.

In January 2022, MLW filed an antitrust lawsuit against WWE, alleging that the larger promotion interfered with business relationships and media opportunities. Among the claims was an allegation that WWE had influenced Tubi, which is owned by Fox, to discontinue a potential partnership with MLW while SmackDown was airing on the network.

The lawsuit remained active until December 2023, when the two sides reached a settlement.

Additional details emerged in February 2024 through a TKO Group Holdings earnings report, which disclosed a $20 million settlement related to WWE’s antitrust litigation. While MLW was not specifically named in the filing, the report referenced the antitrust lawsuit involving WWE.

Now, several years after the dispute began, MLW has officially landed on the very platform that was once at the center of its legal claims.

The first episode of MLW Fusion on Tubi is scheduled to air Thursday night, giving the promotion a significantly larger platform as it continues to grow its audience.

Report: AEW Showing Interest In Former TNA Star Dani Luna

Dani Luna could be the latest free agent to land in AEW.

According to Fightful Select‘s Sean Ross Sapp, AEW has expressed interest in the former TNA Knockouts Tag Team Champion. Sources within the company reportedly indicated that Luna is a talent who has “the interest” of AEW, with some believing a deal could be completed soon if one has not already been finalized.

While there is no confirmation that Luna has signed with the promotion, the report notes that several people within AEW expected her to eventually join the company.

Luna became a free agent in March after requesting and receiving her release from TNA. Reports at the time indicated there was no animosity between the two sides following her departure.

During her time in TNA, Luna found success as one-half of Spitfire alongside Jody Threat. The duo captured the Knockouts Tag Team Championship and became one of the division’s most prominent teams. Following the end of their title reign and eventual split, Luna turned heel and entered into a feud with Indi Hartwell.

Before joining TNA, Luna also spent time in WWE as part of the NXT UK roster, competing for the brand from 2019 until its closure in 2021.

The report adds that there was internal speculation ahead of AEW’s recent European tour that Luna could debut during one of those events. Ultimately, that did not happen, but the expectation among some sources was that she would eventually arrive in the company.

For now, Luna’s status remains unconfirmed, and there is no indication of when an AEW debut could take place. However, if the reported interest leads to a deal, the former TNA standout could soon have a new home in All Elite Wrestling.

AEW Dynamite Preview 9/16/2026

AEW Dynamite live tonight at 8:00 pm ET on TBS and HBO Max from the Chartway Arena in Norfolk, Virginia.

  • Trios Match: AEW Champion Will Ospreay, National Champion Andrade El Idolo and Francesco Akira vs. Jon Moxley, PAC and Gabe Kidd
  • 8-Man Tag: AEW Tag Team Champions Adam Copeland & Christian Cage, Steven Borden and AEW TNT Champion Darby Allin vs. FTR and Don Callis Family’s Kevin Knight and Klye Fletcher
  • AEW Women’s Tag Team Champion Jamie Hayter vs. Lena Kross
  • Chris Jericho vs. Nick Wayne

Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic Returning To WWE NXT

The Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic is making its return to WWE NXT.

NXT General Manager Robert Stone made the announcement during Tuesday night’s episode, confirming plans to revive the annual tournament as part of his ongoing efforts to strengthen the brand’s tag team division.

Speaking in a backstage interview, Stone pointed to recent additions and increased competition within the division before revealing the tournament’s return.

According to Stone, this year’s Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic will feature 14 teams from across WWE and its partner promotions, including NXT, Evolve, AAA, Raw, and SmackDown.

While the full field has not yet been announced, WWE is expected to reveal the tournament brackets on social media later this week. The first-round matches are scheduled to begin on next week’s episode of NXT.

The most recent edition of the tournament was won by Bron Breakker and Baron Corbin, who defeated Trick Williams and Carmelo Hayes in the finals. The duo, known as the WolfDogs, later went on to capture the NXT Tag Team Championship.

First introduced in 2015, the tournament honors the legacy of WWE Hall of Famer Dusty Rhodes and has become one of NXT’s most prestigious annual events. Since 2018, the winning team has earned a future shot at the NXT Tag Team Championship.

The return of the tournament could also create another opportunity for the recently returned Creed Brothers, who captured the Dusty Cup in 2022 before moving on to championship success.

At this time, WWE has not announced whether the women’s version of the Dusty Rhodes Tag Team Classic will also return in 2026.

More details, including the participating teams and tournament bracket, are expected to be revealed in the coming days.

WWE NXT Preview 9/15/2026

WWE NXT tonight at 8/7c on The CW and Netflix (internationally).

  • NXT Championship #1 Contenders Match: Tony D’Angelo vs. Saquon Shugars vs. Mason Rook
  • Kali Armstrong vs. Lizzy Rain
  • DarkState vs. Sean Legacy & Dorian Van Dux
  • Myles Bourne apologizes