Tony Khan revealed at the AEW WrestleDream press conference that he did not know for certain that Ilja Dragunov would be physically ready to debut at the pay-per-view until just days before the show, saying confirmation did not come until Wednesday of that week. Dragunov was unveiled as AEW’s newest signee at WrestleDream, introduced by Renee Paquette, capping off a vignette that had aired on Dynamite hyping his arrival.
According to Khan, the uncertainty stemmed from AEW’s internal medical and readiness process, which he credited for ultimately clearing Dragunov in time for the event. He did not go into further detail on the specific nature of that process, but his comments make clear that Dragunov’s debut was not locked in far in advance and that AEW was prepared to adjust its WrestleDream plans had the situation changed.
The timing adds context to how AEW built the rollout for Dragunov, a signing that had generated significant buzz given his profile as a star import. The Dynamite vignette teasing his arrival aired before his status for WrestleDream was fully settled behind the scenes, according to Khan’s account, underscoring how tightly the promotion managed the reveal around his availability.
Tony Khan on Expanding the EVE Partnership
Khan also used the WrestleDream press conference to discuss AEW’s ongoing relationship with the British promotion Pro Wrestling EVE, a partnership that has been in place for more than a year. EVE events currently air on MyAEW, and the collaboration extends beyond media distribution. Will Ospreay has been part of EVE’s producing and creative team, while Kris Statlander currently holds the EVE Championship, giving AEW talent a direct stake in the promotion’s product.
When asked about the possibility of deepening that relationship, Khan said he thinks it would be great to collaborate with EVE around an AEW pay-per-view, signaling openness to a more formal crossover event in the future. He did not confirm specific plans, a date, or a particular show tied to such a collaboration, but his remarks suggest AEW views EVE as more than a content partner and sees room to build out joint ventures tied to its biggest shows.
Between the Dragunov debut timeline and the EVE comments, Khan’s WrestleDream press conference offered a window into both the short-term logistics AEW navigates around talent arrivals and the longer-term partnerships it continues to cultivate with outside promotions.
