Ilja Dragunov defends his WWE United States Championship in a live open challenge on SmackDown from Tempe, Arizona.

Ilja Dragunov, the newly crowned WWE United States Champion, will defend his title in an open challenge match on tonight’s SmackDown, continuing the tradition established by former champion Sami Zayn. Dragunov, who defeated Zayn in a recent match, emphasized his commitment to preserving the weekly open challenge format, inviting any WWE wrestler to compete for the title. The event, airing live from Tempe, Arizona, marks Dragunov’s first main roster title defense, following a lengthy recovery from an ACL injury sustained in September 2024. While the challenger remains unannounced, potential contenders include members of the NXT roster and former champions.