WWE Made Last-Minute Change to February 6 SmackDown Segment

A surprise appearance by Ilja Dragunov was set to shake things up on the February 6, 2026 episode of WWE SmackDown—but the entire segment was pulled just before the show went live.

According to WrestleVotes Radio, a planned angle involving Dragunov interfering in The Miz vs. Carmelo Hayes was included in the final rundown for SmackDown but was removed during the final stages of production.

The interference was reportedly designed to kickstart a feud between Dragunov and Miz, teasing a future match between the two. It’s not yet known whether the idea is dead or simply postponed.

“Another little one that we’ve learned for you guys is that we’ve learned that a segment was scrapped very late [on] last Friday night’s SmackDown that would have seen Ilja Dragunov attack The Miz during his match with Carmelo Hayes, continuing a path towards [a] potential Miz vs. Ilja matchup. We’re told the angle was included in the final draft of the show and ultimately pulled late into the live broadcast.”

The Miz has been deep into a story about chasing the power and prestige he thinks he deserves—usually at the expense of younger WWE talent. Dragunov, meanwhile, has been building momentum since returning to SmackDown from injury, and this angle could’ve given him a major TV moment. For now, the potential feud is in limbo. But if creative still sees value in it, it’s only a matter of time before Dragunov and Miz feud on WWE television.

Do you want to see WWE move forward with a Miz vs. Ilja Dragunov feud? Or was cutting the angle the right call? Drop your take in the comments—we want to hear what you think.