There was a big surprise set for the October 17 edition of WWE SmackDown. Sami Zayn did yet another open challenge, and while WWE went with the initial swerve of The Miz, the real challenger was none other than “The Mad Russian” Ilja Dragunov. After an excellent match, Dragunov defeated Zayn to capture the WWE United States Championship. It was the right call and yet another step to build the mid-card, while creating some excitement about SmackDown.
SmackDown needed a shot in the arm. Dragunov was the medicine, as fans reacted with loud praise when his music hit. More than a year had passed since his injury, and fans were waiting to see where he’d fit upon his return. His training videos that popped up online featured ridiculous workouts, and they translated into turning Dragunov into a beast, more jacked than ever, and sporting a neck tattoo to boot.
Dragunov and Zayn put on an instant classic for nearly 20 minutes. For a moment, it seemed like WWE would go its standard, lazy direction – setting up interference leading to the DQ, but that did not happen. Instead, fans were gifted a clean finish that saw Dragunov get the win and take the championship. That victory immediately puts some legitimacy and momentum behind Dragunov and the championship. He shouldn’t be involved in a longstanding feud against the MFT. Instead, he should continue the open challenge segment and get the space to put on excellent matches every week.
The WWE United States Championship is one of those that should be seen as a worker’s title in the promotion. Zayn was the right name to start rebuilding that legacy, and Dragunov is perfect to keep it going. There are some interesting matches to have, including against the likes of Carmelo Hayes, both members of Fraxiom, and several others on SmackDown that would easily be among some of the best on the show this year. There’s a long-term feud against GUNTHER that has to happen at some point, but this is a perfect space for Dragunov until that happens.
Ilja Dragunov made a huge return on WWE SmackDown. He’s an addition to that roster that should immediately infuse some excitement in the brand and the matches to come. Seeing him pick up the US Title was the perfect move that should help the entire men’s division in the months to come.