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Episode 207 of Wrestling Tonight opens with a surprising WWE departure that appears to have come together very differently than many would have expected. Ilja Dragunov is leaving WWE, but the circumstances surrounding his exit make this much more interesting than a straightforward contract expiration. WWE reportedly wanted him to remain with the company, and the two sides were still having serious discussions about getting him back on television only a couple of months ago. So how did we go from negotiating a return to Dragunov becoming a free agent? We break down what is known about the timeline, where things apparently changed and what comes next for one of the most distinctive wrestlers to come through WWE in recent years.
Then there is The Rock and WrestleMania 43. WWE is heading to Riyadh for WrestleMania next April, but a major commitment on Dwayne Johnson's schedule could make one of the biggest possibilities surrounding the show considerably more complicated. There is an important distinction between The Rock appearing at WrestleMania and actually wrestling at WrestleMania, and the latest information raises questions about whether there will realistically be enough time for the latter. We get into what his schedule looks like, why the timing matters and where that leaves WWE as the road to WrestleMania 43 begins to take shape.
AEW All In is just days away, and we now have an updated look at how Wembley Stadium is filling up before Sunday. With Kenny Omega vs. Will Ospreay for the AEW World Championship at the top of the card, the latest ticket numbers give us a much clearer idea of the size of the crowd AEW could be looking at when the company returns to Wembley. We'll go through where ticket distribution currently stands, how that compares with the stadium setup and what AEW still has available heading into the final days before All In.
And Wembley is not the only major European story for AEW. Grand Slam is heading to Paris, giving the company another significant international date and its first event in France. There are some notable details about when and where the show will take place, what AEW intends to tape that night and where it fits into the company's European schedule coming out of All In.
We also have movement on the John Cena Classic, an event WWE announced months ago without providing many concrete details. A potential date has now emerged, and its placement on the calendar carries an obvious connection to Cena's retirement that is difficult to overlook. There are still unanswered questions about the location, the lineup and exactly how WWE plans to execute Cena's unusual fan-voting concept, but we finally may have an idea of when the event is actually happening. We'll get into the reported date, why it stands out and what Cena has said about making sure the fans legitimately determine the winner.
Elsewhere, Royce Keys returned to Raw and brought OTM with him, immediately inserting the group into an already crowded situation involving The Usos, Solo Sikoa and LA Knight. Rather than choosing one side, Keys, Bronco Nima and Lucien Price made their intentions clear by going after everyone. We'll cover how WWE brought Keys back after his absence, the significance of OTM appearing alongside him and how recent developments involving Nima may have helped set up the new alliance.
The Women's World Championship picture also has its next major match. Stephanie Vaquer now has a date with Liv Morgan, but Becky Lynch remains directly involved in the story after what happened on Raw. With Vaquer and Lynch both pursuing Morgan since returning after SummerSlam, WWE now has multiple directions it can take as the championship match approaches.
And on SmackDown, WWE advertised Blake Monroe vs. Giulia, but fans are still waiting for Monroe's official SmackDown in-ring debut. Instead of giving away the match, WWE used the confrontation to push their rivalry another step forward. Their history goes beyond WWE, and what happened before the bell ensures there is still unfinished business between them.
Episode 207 of Wrestling Tonight covers Ilja Dragunov's unexpected WWE exit and the negotiations that preceded it, the scheduling issue hanging over The Rock and WrestleMania 43, the latest numbers heading into AEW All In at Wembley, AEW's first trip to Paris and the potential date for the John Cena Classic. Plus, Royce Keys resurfaces with OTM, Stephanie Vaquer moves closer to the Women's World Championship and Blake Monroe and Giulia's rivalry takes another turn on SmackDown.
