Tommaso Ciampa will defend the AEW National Championship against Ilja Dragunov at AEW Full Gear, with the challenge issued directly by Dragunov following Ciampa’s title defense against Mike Bailey. The confrontation took place on the November 11 episode of AEW Dynamite/Collision, immediately after Ciampa survived what Ringside News described as a brutal match against Bailey to retain the title.
Dragunov’s challenge comes just days after Ciampa first captured the AEW National Championship from Andrade El Idolo on the November 7 episode of AEW Collision. That meant Ciampa had only briefly settled into his reign as champion before facing an immediate defense against Bailey, and now finds himself with another high-profile challenger lined up before the title has even had a chance to cool off.
According to Fightful, the match was formally announced in the aftermath of Ciampa’s victory over Bailey, with Dragunov stepping forward to stake his claim to the gold. The timeline laid out by both outlets paints a picture of a title that has changed hands and faced new challenges in rapid succession, with Ciampa now tasked with defending against a third opponent, Dragunov, in a matter of weeks after taking the belt from Andrade El Idolo.
What’s at Stake at Full Gear
For Ciampa, the match represents a chance to establish himself as a dominant champion rather than a transitional titleholder, having already turned back one serious challenge from Bailey before Dragunov entered the picture. For Dragunov, the opportunity gives him a direct path to AEW gold against a champion who has shown he can survive high-stakes title defenses under pressure.
The AEW National Championship has seen rapid movement in recent weeks, changing hands from Andrade El Idolo to Ciampa on November 7 before Ciampa turned back Bailey’s challenge just days later. Dragunov’s addition to the title picture sets up what both Fightful and Ringside News frame as a significant pay-per-view matchup, with the title now on the line again at Full Gear.
Neither outlet provided additional details regarding the full Full Gear card or further context on how the match was officially confirmed beyond Dragunov’s in-ring challenge, but the title bout is set as one of the confirmed matches heading into the event.
