Former WWE Superstar Donovan Dijak has captured his first championship in close to seven years, in what is the wrestler’s second match since being released.

At a July 13, event, Dijak captured the Ryse Wrestling Grand Championship. On Twitter, Ryse Wrestling shared some photos of the new champion. Dijak himself shared a photo with the gold and had a message for his followers.





This championship victory has been a long time coming for Dijak. The last time Dijak won a title came in July 2017 when he captured the Pro Wrestling Resurgence Heavyweight Championship, according to ProFight. In WWE, Dijak challenged for the NXT, NXT Tag, and North American Championships but never won the gold.

Dijak’s victory comes mere weeks after his abrupt exit from WWE. On Twitter, the former Retribution alum shared that not only would he be leaving WWE, but very little effort had been made by the company to retain his services. Dijak had been called to the main roster during the 2024 WWE Supplemental Draft after years of re-establishing himself in WWE NXT. Despite the call-up, Dijak was not used in any capacity as a RAW Superstar and has since said that he was sure he was doomed when he was the last pick in the Supplemental Draft.

This win is certainly a strong start for Dijak now that his career with WWE has come to an end. The question now is whether Dijak will be able to keep this momentum going forward in Ryse Wrestling and other promotions.