Ilja Dragunov joins Battle on Battleground Podcast to talk about why AEW felt like the right next step—and what he wants fans to see in this new chapter. He looks back on the emotion of hearing his entrance music at WrestleDream, explains how he was able to keep his name, and talks about the kind of challenge he’s looking for in AEW.

Dragunov also shares what he learned from Gunther, why the small details in a match can matter as much as the biggest moves, and what makes a wrestling match feel like a fight. Follow Battleground Podcast so you don’t miss the next conversation.

Ilja Dragunov joins Battle on Battleground Podcast to talk about why AEW felt like the right next step&mdash;and what he wants fans to see in this new chapter. He looks back on the emotion of hearing his entrance music at WrestleDream, explains how he was able to keep his name, and talks about the kind of challenge he&rsquo;s looking for in AEW.
Dragunov also shares what he learned from Gunther, why the small details in a match can matter as much as the biggest moves, and what makes a wrestling match feel like a fight. Follow Battleground Podcast so you don&rsquo;t miss the next conversation.

Battleground Podcast takes wrestling fans beyond the headlines with honest reactions and opinions of the biggest stories across WWE, AEW, TNA and the world of professional wrestling. Hosted by Battle, new episodes drop every Monday and you never know who might stop by!

Follow @battlegroundpodcast and subscribe on YouTube for full interviews, must-see clips and more wrestling talk.

Email the show: battle@iheartmedia.com

Battleground Podcast takes wrestling fans beyond the headlines with honest reactions and opinions of the biggest stories across WWE, AEW, TNA and the world of professional wrestling.&nbsp;Hosted by Battle, new episodes drop every Monday and you never know who might stop by!
Follow <a href="https://www.instagram.com/battlegroundpodcast/">@battlegroundpodcast</a> and subscribe on YouTube for full interviews, must-see clips and more wrestling talk.
Email the show: <a href="mailto:battle@iheartmedia.com">battle@iheartmedia.com</a>

Battleground Podcast is where wrestling fans get the stories behind the headlines. Hosted by Battle, the show mixes real fan energy, weekly WWE/AEW/TNA reactions, and interviews with the biggest names in pro wrestling. Whether it’s a PLE fallout show, a wild backstage story, or a headline-making conversation with your favorite wrestler, Battleground brings you into the group chat.

Battleground Podcast

Battleground Podcast takes wrestling fans inside the biggest stories from WWE, AEW, TNA, and beyond. Hosted by Battle, the show features weekly reactions, breaking-news discussions, in-depth interviews, and plenty of pro wrestling debate.

New episodes drop every Monday—and you never know who might stop by.

Follow @battlegroundpodcast and subscribe on YouTube for clips, full interviews, and more.

Email the show: battle@iheartmedia.com

Battleground Podcast takes wrestling fans inside the biggest stories from WWE, AEW, TNA, and beyond. Hosted by Battle, the show features weekly reactions, breaking-news discussions, in-depth interviews, and plenty of pro wrestling debate.
New episodes drop every Monday&mdash;and you never know who might stop by.
Follow @battlegroundpodcast and subscribe on YouTube for clips, full interviews, and more.
Email the show: <a href="mailto:battle@iheartmedia.com">battle@iheartmedia.com</a>

Ilja Dragunov joins Battle to discuss his move to AEW, his WrestleDream entrance, keeping his name, and the storytelling behind his hard-hitting matches.

Why AEW Felt Right for Ilja Dragunov and What He Wants His Matches to Say

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/e73c998e-6e60-432f-8610-ae210140c5b1/clips/af12137d-f2ff-48cc-9fa0-b4e901593a5a/transcript