AEW Announces Ilja Dragunov’s First Match

October 20, 2026

Tony Khan announced on his social media that Ilja Dragunov’s first opponent in AEW will be Mike Bailey.

He states that after taking part in Clockwork Carnage at WrestleDream, Mike Bailey will be tasked with facing AEW’s latest acquisition. A straightforward match scheduled for AEW Dynamite on October 21, 2026.

Interestingly, Bailey and Dragunov have previously crossed paths in the indie scene back in 2016 on the European circuit for wXw.

Wednesday Night #AEWDynamite
TOMORROW!@SpeedballBailey vs @UNBESIEGBAR_ZAR
After qualifying for #AEWWrestleDream and competing in Clockwork Carnage, Speedball Bailey will fight vs AEW’s newest signing Ilja Dragunov on Dynamite, in Dragunov’s @AEW debut, TOMORROW NIGHT! pic.twitter.com/Ou0HNZZaY2

— Tony Khan (@TonyKhan) October 20, 2026

Also announced for AEW Dynamite on October 21

The AEW Dynamite edition will feature the continuation of WrestleDream events in addition to the Dragunov vs Bailey match. Also announced for the show:

– Will Ospreay and Adam Copeland vs Kyle Fletcher and Kevin Knight

– TBS Championship Contender: Maya World vs Queen Aminata

– World Tag Team Eliminator: Young Bucks vs Mark Davis and Jake Doyle

The results of the show will be followed live on Catch-Newz.

Zachary Mitchell

I’ve been following professional wrestling for as long as I can remember, from major televised events to the independent scene. At Franchise Fansite, I cover the news, wrestlers, rivalries, and behind-the-scenes developments that keep the wrestling world moving.