Ilja Dragunov has been on the injured list for a year after a blown right knee. This week on WWE SmackDown, Dragunov saw the opportunity and he took it. Sami Zayn was looking for an opponent for his U.S. Open Challenge; however, he wasn’t even slated for the show. Defiant as always, Zayn would march to the ring and demand an opponent.
After a fake-out from The Miz, whom Carmelo Hayes attacked, Dragunov would officially challenge Zayn for the United States Championship, marking his return after a year away. Dragunov was like a house on fire tonight, taking Zayn to the limit. At the conclusion of this match, Zayn would hit Ilja with an Exploder in the corner, trying to set him up for another move to hopefully retain the title. Unfortunately, Zayn would get distracted by Solo Sikoa. This distraction cost Zayn everything.
Ilja Dragunov would hit a Torpedo Moscow, then end it all with an H-Bomb to become #AndNEW United States Champion in his first match back on WWE. Post-match, Zayn was about to show some respect to his adversary, but MFT would hit the ring and obliterate them. Even Rey Fenix, who came into the odds, would get handed a beating.
Sikoa would get on the mic and say “he told them so,” and that they were coming to take over SmackDown once again. “Uncle Howdy,” Bo Dallas would issue his own warning, essentially telling MFT and Solo Sikoa that they bit off more than they could chew, before The Wyatt Sicks would hit the ring to make their presence felt and stare down MFT.
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