Ilja Dragunov gone from WWE, AEW Wembley predictions, TNA Lockdown fallout
A wrestling news podcast covering WWE's release of Ilya Dragunov due to analytics and contract disputes, AEW's All In London predictions at Wembley Stadium, and fallout from TNA's Lockdown pay-per-view, along with analysis of upcoming WWE and AEW programming.
Summary
The episode opens with news of WWE Hall of Famer Jerry Lawler receiving a street named after him in Memphis, followed by the major story that Ilya Dragunov's WWE contract has expired and he is now a free agent. The host explains that Dragunov was removed from television in April after contract negotiations stalled, with WWE citing analytics showing he wasn't a "numbers mover" despite being praised as an excellent in-ring worker. The host criticizes WWE's approach, arguing they gave up on Dragunov too quickly and never provided sufficient creative opportunities to help him get over with audiences. The discussion notes Dragunov had just recovered from a 13-month ACL injury and briefly succeeded with the US Championship open challenge before being deprioritized.
Monday Night Raw featured two Lucha Tournament semifinal matches, with Rey Fenix defeating Dragon Lee and Penta beating La Parca to set up a Fenix vs. Penta final. The show also debuted a new trio called OTM (Bronco Nima, Lucian Price, and Royce Keys), who attacked the Bloodline faction. The host predicts Bronson Reed will return on September 6th at Sunday Night's Main Event to interfere in Bron Breaker vs. Obafemi, potentially setting up a program between Reed and Obafemi while allowing Obafemi to continue his push toward a Royal Rumble victory and eventual WrestleMania main event against Roman Reigns.
SmackDown featured CM Punk retaining the WWE Championship against Kevin Owens in their first-ever match, with Sami Zayn interfering at the end to set up a likely triple threat. The host notes Kevin Owens is 0 for 12 or 13 in WWE Championship matches. The show also advanced a contract signing segment between Bron Breaker and Obafemi for their Sunday Night's Main Event match, which the host felt Obafemi won on the microphone.
For AEW's All In at Wembley Stadium, the host provides detailed predictions: New Day/Happy Day to win the Trios Championship in their debut, Kevin Knight retaining the TNT title against Darby Allin, Kanosuke Takeshita winning the International Championship, the Brawling Birds winning the Women's Tag Team titles in their home country, Nigel McGuinness defeating Jon Moxley in the Continental Cup final, Moxley winning the Casino Gauntlet (with Ilya Dragunov appearing as a surprise entrant), the Young Bucks reclaiming the AEW Tag Team titles from Copeland and Christian Cage, Willow Nightingale retaining her Women's World Championship against Mercedes Monet, and Will Ospreay winning the AEW World Championship against Kenny Omega in the main event. The host also discusses the free tickets available through the UK's Blue Light Card benefit program for NHS and emergency service workers.
The episode covers additional wrestling news including AEW taking at least a $30 million loss on the Fight Forever video game due to long development delays and lower-than-expected sales, AEW announcing its first Grand Slam event in France on October 6th, TNA's Lockdown pay-per-view results with Leon Slater winning the X Division Championship and challenging for the World Championship at Bound for Glory, AJ Styles' 19-year-old son Avery officially signing with TNA, and Batista being cast as Kratos in the live-action God of War series after Ryan Hurst's injury. The host concludes with reader emails discussing alternative predictions for AEW's Continental Cup and Casino Gauntlet matches, Brock Lesnar's all-time ranking, and favorite wrestling theme songs produced by non-wrestling industry professionals.
About this episode
Solomonster reacts to Ilja Dragunov’s surprise WWE exit, the major angle to close out Raw, AEW All In London predictions, TNA Lockdown notes, and more.
Key Insights
- WWE decided to stop using Ilya Dragunov in April after contract negotiations stalled, keeping him off television for four months rather than releasing him, allowing his contract to naturally expire before granting him free agent status
- WWE relies heavily on analytics and metrics to determine TV time allocation, removing Dragunov from programming because audience viewership numbers declined when he appeared and merchandise sales were minimal despite his strong in-ring work
- The host argues WWE's approach to Dragunov represents a self-fulfilling prophecy where the company gave up on him too quickly without sufficient creative investment to help him get over with audiences before judging him a failure
- Dragunov lost momentum immediately after losing the US Championship in December, receiving minimal television time in the first half of 2025 despite his successful open challenge work that had generated crowd interest
- The Motor City Machine Guns debuted in AEW but have yet to wrestle a match, representing a common problem where AEW signs talent and then fails to consistently feature them on television
- Kevin Owens has failed in approximately 12-13 WWE Championship matches over his career, making his continued opportunities despite repeated losses a notable anomaly in how WWE treats underperforming challengers
- AEW took at least a $30 million loss on the Fight Forever video game due to production delays causing its 2022 release date to slip to summer 2023, with sales reaching only half of initial expectations
- The host predicts Ilya Dragunov will make a surprise appearance in AEW's Casino Gauntlet match at Wembley despite not officially being announced, due to his newly free agent status and the promotional timing of the event
- TNA's failure to retain talent like Mike Santana and Leon Slater's near-departure reflects the company's inability to offer competitive financial packages despite having AMC Network television and a development pipeline relationship with WWE
- WWE's pricing increases across Peacock and ESPN+ subscription services have made it more expensive than ever to watch WWE programming, with multiple price hikes occurring within recent months
- Jon Moxley has remained undefeated for several months, making him an overwhelming favorite in any match regardless of opponent, but the host predicts he will lose the Continental Cup to set up his challenge for the AEW World Championship
- The host argues Batista casting as Kratos in the live-action God of War series represents a significant challenge to complete filming by mid-October, leaving limited time for him to achieve the physical condition typically associated with the character
Topics
Transcript
It's the Uncrowned Wrestling Show. Solid Monster here with you for Tuesday, August 25th, 2026. WWE Hall of Famer Jerry The King Lawler had a street named after him in Memphis last week. A ceremony was held on Thursday after the city council back in June approved a proposal to rename a portion of Homer Street in Memphis to Jerry the King Lawler Street. And the street is located in front of Treadwell Middle School, a location chosen by Lawler himself as he has so many memories of that specific street. Oh, I'll bet he does. You can't make this stuff up. Jerry Lawler picking a street in front of a middle school. Sometimes the jokes just write themselves. Ilya…
Full transcript available for MurmurCast members
Sign Up to AccessMore from The Uncrowned Wrestling Show
Roman Reigns spiked, high praise for Chelsea Green, G1 Climax finale
Solomon Sturr covers major WWE and AEW news including CM Punk vs Kevin Owens for the WWE Championship, Chelsea Green's impressive championship promo and injury situation, the G1 Climax winner Riohei Oiwa, and various tournament developments across promotions. He discusses Ilya Dragunov's absence from WWE television and the impact of analytics-driven booking decisions.
Roman Reigns tagged as overrated, Brock Lesnar retires, more
The Uncrowned Wrestling Show episode covers major wrestling news including Brock Lesnar's retirement announcement, CM Punk vs. Kevin Owens championship storyline setup, debate over Roman Reigns being overrated, and updates on injuries affecting WWE's women's division. Additional coverage includes AEW's Grand Slam Mexico show and MJF's return, along with various industry developments.
The Uncrowned Wrestling Show | SummerSlam fallout, Triple H’s insulting comments, and best Raw of 2026
Solid Monster reviews SummerSlam 2026, criticizing the two-night format for limiting match time while praising Raw's quality and discussing Triple H's dismissive comments about fan criticism. He covers multiple WWE developments including Kevin Owens' return, new champions, and teases of fresh matchups, alongside AEW's Continental Cup tournament and other wrestling news.
WWE Radio takeover, SummerSlam predictions and AEW Redemption reaction
Solomonster discusses WWE's takeover of SiriusXM's pro wrestling channel, rebranding it as WWE Radio, which eliminates coverage of other promotions like AEW. He provides detailed predictions for SummerSlam's two-night card and analyzes AEW's Redemption pay-per-view, critiquing its weaker main event storyline and excessive match length.
Tom Brady in WWE talks, the Viral Moment Era, and an awful Raw
A comprehensive wrestling podcast covering WWE's celebrity integration strategy (Tom Brady/Logan Paul), AEW's Redemption card predictions, the Vince McMahon lawsuit moving to private arbitration, and criticism of WWE Raw's comedy-heavy booking with Danhausen and celebrity appearances overshadowing storylines.