Ilja Dragunov is officially backand hes got gold around his waist to prove it.
WWE released new backstage footage on October 19, 2025, showing Dragunov after what appears to be his United States Championship win. The former NXT Champion returned to television on the October 17 episode of SmackDown from the SAP Center in San Jose, where he stepped up to accept Sami Zayns open challenge. The crowd gave him a huge welcome after nearly a year off WWE TV.
In the new video, Dragunov opened up about the emotional weight of the past year and the message hes sending to the entire roster now that hes champion.
He didnt hold back when addressing future challengers either.
Dragunovs return wasnt always meant to go down this way. According to previous reports, his WWE comeback was originally targeted for September and slated for the RAW brand. But plans changed, and insiders said SmackDown needed a shakeup, prompting WWE to move Dragunov to Friday nights instead.
Before his time away, Dragunov had close calls in major matchups, including a four-way number one contenders bout against Jey Uso and a World Heavyweight Title live event clash with Gunther. Now on SmackDown with the U.S. Title, hes been handed a clean slateand he clearly has no plans to waste it.
Ilja Dragunov made it clear he returned with more than just a comeback in mindhe came back to dominate.
Do you think Dragunovs run as United States Champion will elevate SmackDowns mid-card scene? Drop your thoughts in the comments below and let us know what you think.
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