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By Fernando Quiles Jr
Contributing Sports Writer
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A reported spoiler for Friday's episode of "WWE SmackDown" has been revealed, and a "Monday Night Raw" star is involved. PWInsider reports that "WWE Raw" talent JD McDonagh of The Judgment Day will be answering Ilja Dragunov's open challenge with the WWE United States Championship at stake.
Dragunov choosing a "Monday Night Raw" star to defend his title against will likely further advance the professional wrestling storyline involving Tommaso Ciampa, who still hasn't gotten a championship opportunity. This will be the first time Dragunov is defending his gold against a member of the red brand.
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Ilja Dragunov's Title Reign
After being out of action for a year, Dragunov returned during the Oct. 17 episode of "Friday Night SmackDown." He answered the open challenge to compete against Sami Zayn for the WWE United States Championship. Dragunov won the match, capturing his first singles gold on the main roster.
Prior to suffering a torn ACL, Dragunov had been a member of the "WWE Raw" roster. With his WWE United States Championship run, Dragunov is now a full-time member of the blue brand.
"The Mad Dragon" has successfully defended his title against Aleister Black, Nathan Frazer, Johnny Gargano, and Axiom. At this time, there's no word on if WWE is saving Dragunov's inevitable match with Ciampa for a PLE or a future episode of "SmackDown."
Already announced for "Friday Night SmackDown" will be two matches in the Last Time Is Now tournament. Bronson Reed of The Vision will collide with Carmelo Hayes, while the other tournament match will see Penta go one-on-one with Finn Balor. There will also be tag team action as Fraxiom will collide with DIY.
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