“The Mad Dragon” is back!
During the October 17, 2025 episode of WWE SmackDown from the SAP Center in San Jose, California, Ilja Dragunov made his long-awaited return to the ring after a year on the sidelines recovering from injury.
The former WWE NXT World Champion cam out to answer the latest open challenge laid out by reigning, defending WWE United States Champion Sami Zayn. In the end, Dragunov managed to get his hand raised thanks to a distraction from Solo Sikoa, winning gold in his first match back.
Featured below is a recap of the backstage segment that led to the Sami Zayn open challenge remaining active, and Ilja Dragunov eventually being the one to answer the call and win the title.
Backstage With Sami Zayn, The Miz & Nick Aldis
We see clips of Shinsuke Nakamura’s match against Sami Zayn. We see The MFTs interfering. We cut to The Miz who is backstage with Nick Aldis. Miz says he wants it to be big and Aldis says he will take it into consideration. In comes Zayn.
He tells Aldis he is not even on the show tonight. Aldis says he wants Nakamura to have a proper rematch but Nakamura is still in Japan. And the MFTs are already causing problems tonight. Zayn says that is not how things work, that is not how he works. He won’t be bullied or in the shadows because of them.
He says the united States title means something to him, to the fans, to the guys in the locker room. Zayn says he is going to go to the ring and defend his United States title. Aldis turns around and Miz is still there. Aldis asks him if he needs something else and Miz says he is good and walks away. We head to a break.
WWE United States Championship
Sami Zayn (c) vs. Ilja DragunovWhen the show returns, we head back down to the ringside area after a quick Hulk Hogan’s Rock ‘n’ Wrestling plug for the WWE Vault YouTube channel. A clip of one of the old cult-classic cartoons even airs. When we return, we gear up for our latest WWE United States Championship Open Challenge.
With that said, the upbeat catchy-ass theme song for Sami Zayn hits to bring out the reigning defending champion. Zayn makes his way to the ring to a big pop from the San Jose crowd. The Miz comes out complaining about the open challenges.
As he’s complaining, he is attacked from behind by Carmelo Hayes. After that is cleaned up, the sounds of the returning Ilja Dragunov hits. Out comes “The Mag Dragon” in his comeback appearance. Zayn smiles. The bell sounds and off we go.
Zayn extends his hand and they shake hands. Both men with right hands. Zayn to the ropes and Ilja with a forearm to the face. Zayn gets back up and he hits Ilja with a clothesline. Zayn with a chop to the chest. Zayn goes for a suplex but Ilja lands on his feet.
Ilja with a waist lock but Zayn with an elbow to the face. Zayn to the ropes but Ilja with a forearm to the face. Ilja with a knee followed by a boot to the face. On that note, the show shifts gears and heads into a mid-match commercial break as the action continues.
When the show returns, we see Zayn with a clothesline. He goes for the cover but Ilja kicks out. Zayn with a forearm to the face but Ilja with an uppercut. Ilja with kicks but Zayn with an elbow to the face. Zayn jumps off the second rope and lands a tornado DDT. Zayn goes for the Helluva Kick but Ilja with a kick to the face.
Ilja goes for the cover but Zayn kicks out. Ilja with a German suplex and keeps the waist lock on Zayn but Zayn with elbows. Zayn gets out of it and rolls Ilja but Ilja kicks out. Zayn with a German suplex and another German suplex. Zayn with the waist lock but Ilja gets out of it.
Ilja with elbows and he picks Zayn up and slams him onto the mat. He goes for the cover but Zayn kicks out. Ilja climbs the top rope and jumps, Zayn moves out of the way, Ilja lands on his feet and Zayn with the Michinoku driver. He goes for the cover but Ilja kicks out.
Zayn with a chop to the chest and Ilja falls onto the ring apron. Zayn on the ring apron. Ilja with elbows and he lifts Zayn up but Zayn with elbows. Zayn lifts Ilja up and Ilja’s left shoulder lands onto the second rope and they fall to the outside of the ring.
On that note, we head into another mid-match commercial break. This time when we return, we see Ilja with the senton onto Zayn. He goes for the cover but Zayn kicks out. Ilja places Zayn on the second rope. Ilja with chops to the chest and Ilja climbs the second rope. Ilja climbs the top rope and he lands a super-plex.
Ilja goes for the H-Bomb but Zayn gets his boot up. Zayn goes for the Helluva Kick but Ilja moves out of the way. Ilja lifts Zayn up and slams him onto the mat. Ilja goes for the cover but Zayn kicks out. Ilja with a big knee to the face. He goes for the cover but Zayn kicks out.
Ilja to the ropes and he lands a clothesline. Ilja runs but Zayn with a kick to the face. Zayn with the Blue Thunder Bomb. He goes for the cover but Ilja kicks out. We see Solo Sikoa on the ramp and that distracts Zayn. Solo waives his finger and leaves to the back. Ilja runs towards Zayn but Zayn with the exploder.
Zayn goes for the Helluva Kick but Ilja with a Torpedo Moscow followed by the H-Bomb. He goes for the cover and gets the pin. After the match, The MFT’s hit the ring and attack both Dragunov and Zayn. He cuts a promo and the lights go out.
The Wyatt Sicks appear on the big screen. Bo Dallas, Uncle Howdy, is finally with them again. The lights come back on and we see The Wyatt Sicks standing behind The MFT’s and Solo Sikoa. The Wyatt Sicks end up entering the ring. The Wyatt Sicks production glitch happens and we cut to a commercial break.
Winner and NEW WWE United States Champion: Ilja Dragunov
For those interested, you can check out our complete WWE SmackDown Results 10/17/25 here at WrestlingHeadlines.com.
.@mikethemiz answered @SamiZayn's Open Challenge but @Carmelo_WWE said not today 👊 pic.twitter.com/QU8duHRYZY
— WWE (@WWE) October 18, 2025
UNBELIEVABLE!! @UNBESIEGBAR_ZAR is BACK!!! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/j3hHSXIyyp
— WWE (@WWE) October 18, 2025
.@UNBESIEGBAR_ZAR and @SamiZayn just keep going 😮💨 pic.twitter.com/Jer86F66V8
— WWE (@WWE) October 18, 2025
.@UNBESIEGBAR_ZAR just dethroned @SamiZayn!! 😱 pic.twitter.com/c8DsI8VsIy
— WWE (@WWE) October 18, 2025
NO TIME FOR CELEBRATION!!
The MFTs just took out EVERYBODY 😳 pic.twitter.com/YtAQXdc2p9
— WWE (@WWE) October 18, 2025
