WWE news ahead of SmackDown tonight: Ilja Dragunov exits; Sami Zayn injury confirmed; tag division reshuffle

On Aug. 21, 2026, reports ahead of SmackDown tonight said Ilja Dragunov’s WWE contract has expired and that Sami Zayn is sidelined by a hand injury, while adjustments to the tag team ranks and other roster moves were also reported.

PWInsider reported that Dragunov’s deal lapsed and he has been moved to WWE’s alumni section after being absent from television since April, when he took part in the Andre the Giant Memorial Battle Royal; False Finish added that WWE sought a new agreement before the contract expired this month. F4WOnline’s Bryan Alvarez told Wrestling Observer Newsletter that WWE and Dragunov were “strongly negotiating a return” as recently as June, and Alvarez also said a few other main roster contracts belonging to Superstars with limited TV appearances are due to expire in October.

PWInsider’s Mike Johnson confirmed Sami Zayn’s injury is legitimate and the reason he has not wrestled since SummerSlam; Zayn revealed the issue during a backstage segment on the Aug. 7 episode of SmackDown. The segment, which also featured Johnny Gargano and Candice LeRae, included Zayn’s remark: “I have a broken bone in my hand, but if I didn’t… Understand this, Punk. If I didn’t, I would break your face right now.”

Fightful Select’s WrestleVotes Radio reported plans to refresh the SmackDown tag team picture, with Shinsuke Nakamura and Hiromu Takahashi being positioned as foremost challengers on the Blue brand and the pairing Fraxiom slated for increased television time. The same sources noted adjustments across the tag divisions rather than a single-team focus.

On Raw, reports indicated Ethan Page and Rusev are expected to be elevated into a more prominent role, while The Creed Brothers — despite a recent return on Main Event — have not been discussed as potential challengers to The Vision. Those items were cited as separate developments from the SmackDown tag reshuffle.

WWE has produced Lola Vice’s first main roster vignette through TRNBCKL Gold, a step that the reports say suggests her NXT call-up could be made official soon; the vignette is expected to make a strong first impression. The reports add that Vice is expected to join the SmackDown roster, though that destination has not been confirmed.

These items were reported ahead of SmackDown tonight, Aug. 21, 2026, and represent the latest publicly available updates on Dragunov’s contractual status, Zayn’s injury, tag team plans and potential main roster promotions.