Home / Sports / Ilja Dragunov Seizes US Title from Sami Zayn in Electrifying SmackDown
Ilja Dragunov Seizes US Title from Sami Zayn in Electrifying SmackDown
18 Oct
Summary
- Ilja Dragunov defeats Sami Zayn to win the US title
- Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss retain Women's Tag Team titles
- Cody Rhodes vs. Drew McIntyre match ends in disqualification
On October 18th, 2025, WWE Friday Night SmackDown delivered an electrifying show from the SAP Center in San Jose, California. The highlight of the evening was Ilja Dragunov's return and immediate capture of the WWE US title from Sami Zayn. The two men put on a stellar showdown, with Dragunov ultimately emerging victorious after a distraction from Solo Sikoa allowed him to hit the H-bomb and claim the championship.
Elsewhere on the card, the reigning Women's Tag Team Champions, Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss, successfully defended their titles against the NXT duo of Zaria and Sol Ruca. The challengers put up a strong fight, but Flair was able to lock in the Figure 8 and force Ruca to tap out.
The night also saw an impromptu match between Drew McIntyre and Cody Rhodes, after a backstage assault led to the American Nightmare challenging McIntyre. The two men engaged in a heated battle that spilled throughout the ringside area, with Rhodes showcasing a vicious side. The match ultimately ended in a disqualification when Rhodes struck McIntyre with the Undisputed WWE title.
