Ilja Dragunov defeated Tommaso Ciampa to win the AEW National Championship at Full Gear on Saturday.
The result ended Ciampa’s reign just one week after he won the title from Andrade El Idolo on Collision.
Ciampa targeted Dragunov’s right arm throughout much of the match, repeatedly driving it into the apron and ring steps. Dragunov responded by attacking Ciampa’s knee and using a D-Bomb onto the back of the injured leg.
The match became increasingly physical as it progressed. Ciampa hit an avalanche Air Raid Crash before later dropping Dragunov onto the edge of the steel steps with another Air Raid Crash.
A running knee produced a close near fall for the champion.
Dragunov then fought Ciampa on the apron and delivered a German suplex before hitting a D-Bomb from the apron to the floor. Rather than accept a count-out, he dragged Ciampa back into the ring before the referee reached 10.
Ciampa survived a superplex and avoided another D-Bomb, immediately catching Dragunov in a Fujiwara armbar. Dragunov escaped, only for Ciampa to meet his next charge with another running knee for two.
Ciampa reapplied the armbar, but Dragunov again fought free.
After a rapid exchange of strikes, Dragunov hit a knee and powerbomb before connecting with the D-Bomb for the pin and the championship.
The victory gives Dragunov his first title since joining AEW at WrestleDream last month.
Saturday also marked his first AEW pay-per-view match. Dragunov made his in-ring debut for the promotion earlier this month before confronting Ciampa after the champion’s successful title defense against Speedball Mike Bailey on Wednesday.
The two previously wrestled each other in WWE during Dragunov’s United States Championship run in 2025.
