Ilja Dragunov: The Open Challenge Means Fighting For Your Life

Ilja Dragunov sends a warning to those who may accept his US Title open challenge.

So far, Ilja Dragunov has kept the US Title Open challenge alive with defenses against both Nathan Frazer and Aleister Black in recent weeks. This came following Sami Zayn’s reign, where he would bring back the open challenge that Cena previously began around a decade ago.

In a new social media post on November 4th, Ilja took to X and sent out a warning for people who may answer his US Title Open Challenge.

The open challenge means fighting for your life. pic.twitter.com/PrHzKk6nuh

— 𝙄𝙡𝙟𝙖 𝘿𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙪𝙣𝙤𝙫 (@UNBESIEGBAR_ZAR) November 4, 2025

Dragunov won the US Title on October 17, defeating Sami Zayn in an open challenge.

Nathan Frazer recently noted that his bout with Dragunov on the Halloween edition of Friday Night SmackDown was ‘vindication’. You can read more about that here.